The Great Disney Adventure III:Heroes and Villains
by talking2myself
Summary: When Kelsey vanishes it is up to Rob and her friends to complete her plan of creating an alliance of heroes to defeat The Thirteen. Plans change when a new villain enters the picture. One who knows more about Kelsey than anyone could have predicted.
1. The Sorcerer's Apprentice

**The Great Disney Adventure III: Heroes and Villains**

**A Disney story by talking2myself**

**DISCLAIMER: **All Disney characters are the property of Walt Disney productions and I do not own them. However, any of the fantastic and unique original characters are my own beloved creations.

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**: Hello world! In case you couldn't tell by the title this is the sequel to The Great Disney Adventure II: The Book of Songs. So if you haven't read it yet please go do so now otherwise this story will be hopelessly confusing.

As before I am taking suggestions for movies to be featured in this story. Suggestions are not guaranteed, but I will consider them in the story. Please no Disney original TV shows. Movies only.

A big thanks to everyone who had reviewed in the past. In the poll, 61 individual people voted that I should continue the series. (only one person voted that I should not) So here's the next installment! The Great Disney Adventure II: The Book of Songs received over 900 reviews, my goal for this book is 1,000 reviews. Let's make it happen! Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoy it!

**Chapter. 1 The Sorcerer's Apprentice**

BALD MOUNTAIN:

1940s

The shadow of Bald Mountain loomed over the tiny town that was neatly arranged beneath it. The town used to be a sleepy little hamlet tucked away from the rest of The Kingdom. It sat on the edge of Disney Europe and legends of the mighty mountain (and what lurked within) often scared away most of the hamlet's visitors. Even though the town itself was quaint and charming in its own rustic way, a strange darkness seemed to lurk within the very streets and corners of the town. The townspeople didn't walk from place to place, they trudged as though an unseen burden was resting heavily on their shoulders.

And that was _before _all the trouble began.

Walpurgis Night. That was when it had all begun. Originally a Viking holiday to celebrate the coming of spring, the town remembered it as the night that Chernabog awoke. It began almost as soon as the sun set on Walpurgis Night. No one did discover who summoned him, who awoke the great, black demon who slept on top of Bald Mountain, but it did not matter. Once he was awake there was no controlling him.

The creature was a large black monstrosity with glowing golden eyes and a wicked, leering grin. He was a horned demon and his massive muscular body was half the size of the mountain. The people of the town named him "Chernabog" which meant "Black God" in Slavic.

The villagers only stuck around long enough to give the creature a name before they fled their precious village. It was a good thing that they left so quickly. Immediately after coming to life, Chernabog summoned all the spirits from the graveyards. They swept over the town like a plague of locusts over a wheat field. After that, Chernabog used some mighty dark power that he possessed and opened up a mighty pit of flame and fire. Demons and monsters sprang out of the crevice and swarmed over the town. The town was lost to the might of the darkness that had overshadowed it.

Word spread far and wide of the danger and any brave adventurers who would have journeyed to the town immediately changed their plans. The town and Bald Mountain had been abandoned. No one made any move to try and save it. It wouldn't be worth it in the end. But a new fear was being whispered in The Kingdom. What would happen when Bald Mountain wasn't enough to satisfy him? Who would stop him when Chernabog came for their homes? No one seemed to have an answer.

_Which is why we're here! _The young apprentice thought to himself. When whispers of Chernabog had reached his master's ears, both the sorcerer and his apprentice had packed up and immediately made their way to Bald Mountain. The rumors were honestly making him nervous. He had never doubted his master's magical abilities before, but could he really take on a demon like Chernabog?

He pondered this as they sat camped out on the edge of the cliffs and stared at the plumes of smoke hovering up in spirals above the city. He could see the mighty silhouette of Chernabog's wings against the sky. Chernabog turned his head suddenly and the golden eyes locked on the apprentice. He let out a yelp of fear before shrinking back from the ledge. Chernabog returned his attention to the town and the apprentice let out a sigh of relief.

"Mickey come here!"

Mickey Mouse jumped at the sound of his master's voice. He quickly got to his feet, nearly tripping on his red robes and making way back over to their campfire. He scrambled to his master's side quickly. He suspected that his master was still cross at him because of a slight mistake that he had made several days before the journey.

His master's name was Yen Sid. He was a tall, elderly man who seemed to have discovered the secret spell that halts aging. The top of his head was bald, but his hair was long and gray apart from that one patch. This bald spot was often covered by the pointed star covered hat that he wore whenever he performed his magical spells.

Yen Sid was a man of few words, but his glares often spoke better than any words that he could have used. Right now, he sat near the campfire. The flames reflected in his eyes as he gazed into the fire. Mickey sat down besides Yen Sid. "I can see the town, master," Mickey said, "Not too far away now. I expect we'll be there by tomorrow evening."

"Tomorrow morning," Yen Sid said curtly, "If I move quickly."

"Uh… if _we _move quickly, sir?" Mickey pointed out.

Yen Sid did not respond at once. He sighed before turning to address Mickey. "I have something for you."

"What?" Mickey cried jumping in surprise, "Something for me?! Well… golly, master you don't give presents to anyone."

Yen Sid reached into the deep folds of his blue cloak and handed Mickey something. It was a book. A large, worn, leatherbound book that was nearly as big as the mouse itself. Across the cover was large symbol. A circle within a circle with a thick line running through the middle. Yen Sid's symbol.

"Your spell book?!" Mickey whispered in shock. He looked up at his master with big, wide eyes, "But sir…"

"You've already used it once if I recall," Yen Sid pointed out, giving his apprentice a quick glare. Mickey smiled at his master sheepishly. He had used his master's magic hat to make a broom carry water into the tower. He had fallen asleep and nearly flooded the entire castle. When he woke up the brooms were out of his control and he had to use the book as a life raft.

"Well… ha heh, I guess so," Mickey admitted.

The smallest of smiles appeared on Yen Sid's face. It was there and gone so quickly that Mickey couldn't tell if he imagined it or not. "This book has saved your life once already," Yen Sid said, "I trust that if you use it _properly _it will save you again."

"But Master…" Mickey cried, "I can barely use the spells…"

"Then, you will have to learn quickly," Yen Sid said curtly, "That book will be the most powerful object in the entire kingdom… if the right person wields it."

"But Master, what if the wrong person finds it?!" Mickey stammered, "Master, it's too much responsibility!"

"Doesn't matter," Yen Sid said, "You're the only one who I trust enough to keep the book. The Kingdom needs magic in it and, knowing you, you'll need all the protection you can get should things go ill."

Mickey looked up at Yen Sid in confusion, "But… Master… I don't understand. I thought we were going to Bald Mountain together."

Yen Sid rose to his feet, his blue robes falling around his tall frame. "No Mickey," he sighed, "You're only an apprentice. This monster is beyond you. A pity that such an interruption had to disrupt your training. I trust that you will be a powerful sorcerer one day."

"Master!" Mickey exclaimed, "You can't be suggesting that you're going to face Chernabog by yourself!

"It has to be done, my young apprentice," Yen Sid said dispassionately. "Return to the tower. This duty falls to me alone. I'm probably all that stands between The Kingdom and Chernabog."

"But sir…!" Mickey protested.

"My boy," Yen Sid said suddenly turning and gripping Mickey's shoulders tightly, "You've been very brave so far. I need you to be brave once more. Keep the magic alive, boy. The world needs it yet." He patted Mickey's head and turned towards the town.

Mickey stood there helplessly for a few moments staring at the book and then up again at Yen Sid. "Master!" he cried out, "Will… will I ever see you again?"

Yen Sid turned to face Mickey. He offered him a sad smile. "No Mickey," he said in a soft voice, "I don't expect you shall." He turned away and began the long walk down the path that led to the foot of the moment. Mickey clutched the book to his chest for a moment before bursting outloud.

"WAIT!"

He dropped the book roughly on the ground besides the fire and scurried to his master's side. He clung tightly to Yen Sid's robes. Yen Sid bolted at the sudden motion before sighing at the sight of his young apprentice. "Good luck, Master," Mickey mumbled as though he were trying to talk through tears.

Yen Sid offered his apprentice a gentle smile before patting his large ears affectionately. "Good luck to you as well, my dear apprentice." He pulled his robes away from the boy. "Now go…" he said softly. Mickey swallowed hard before making his way back to the campfire and watching Yen Sid dissolve into the inky blackness of the night.

"Goodbye Master."

-888-

Mickey did not do as his master had bid him. He did not return to their tower. He couldn't bear to enter the lonely castle alone. Instead, he remained there, camped out on the cliff watching the horizon for any sign of Yen Sid or Chernabog's defeat. He stayed there all night watching Chernabog's motions with wide horrified eyes. The tell tale signs of battle were obvious. Chernabog flung fire and conjured up ghosts and demons all that night. Mickey found himself pacing back and forth, turning his eyes away from the sight when it became to frightful to watch. It was an exhausting night. Ultimately fear and worry wore him down until he fell asleep.

He was awoken from his sleep by the ringing of bells and the soft, faint glow of candlelight. He sat up roughly, his neck ached from having used Yen Sid's spell book as a pillow. Mickey suddenly remembered the battle and his master and bounded to his feet.

The lonely knell of a bell rang out over the valley and the mountain. He stared at the peak of Bald Mountain. Chernabog was still perched on its highest slopes, but his arms were raised up high over his head. His wings wrapped around his dark body and he faded away into the stone of the mountain. He had been defeated. Yen Sid, it appeared, had won.

Mickey peered down at the valley and forest. The new colors of dawn were beginning to emerge washing away the leftover terror and fear of the night. A long line of people holding candles in their hands. Mickey could see the lights of the candles flickering in the half-light as they returned to the town. The brothers of the nearby church. The townsfolk were returning.

Mickey scrambled to his feet and scooped up Yen Sid's spell book as he joined the line and made his way to the town. He was eager to find his master, maybe he was still alive? Maybe there was still hope.

He was wrong. Mickey spent the entire week searching the streets for Yen Sid, but there was no sign of the sorcerer. It seemed that Yen Sid had been magicked away with Chernabog without a sign that he had ever been.

The grateful townspeople offered all the support that they could. Mickey stayed there for several weeks before he began planning the return journey back to his tower. The people offered him more gratitude and thanks before Mickey began the lonely journey back home.

As he traveled, Mickey was faced with one more decision. What would he do with Yen Sid's book? Yen Sid had given it to him as a means of defense against Chernabog. Chernabog was gone now. Mickey frowned at the large book, he had no need for it. He was only an apprentice after all. A book of such immense power in the hands of a novice would be worse than handing it to the most evil villain.

He was a clever mouse though. He knew that Yen Sid's spell book was not something that could be so easily discarded. Yen Sid himself had said, the magic needed to be kept alive! So Mickey had to think up a plan.

Even though he was only an apprentice, Mickey did have power over several spells, one of them was a transformation spell. Once he arrived back at the tower, Mickey cast a spell over the book. The spell magically transformed the written spells into songs. Beautiful songs about the power of magic. Once this was done, Mickey performed a scattering spell. The songs were sent on their way through space and time to lie in wait until they were needed. There was only one thing left to be done.

-888-

Walt Disney was the only Real person in the Kingdom (at the time). It was said that the entire Kingdom had been created by a form of magic. The Kingdom had evolved from the belief of children. Walt Disney had created something that all of them could believe in. Out of the dreams of children and Disney's films, The Kingdom was formed. It was only natural that Walt should be able to move to and from The Kingdom at his whim.

When he did spend time in The Kingdom, Walt spent most of his time in the land of his favorite movie, Bambi. At the edge of the woods, the other creatures of The Kingdom had built him a small cottage. Lugging the book thus far had been no easy challenge, but Mickey had done it.

Mickey knocked on the door timidly. Walt opened the door and offered the apprentice a warm smile. "Well, Mickey. What a pleasant surprise. Come in."

"Thank you sir," Mickey said as he hurried into the cottage. As Walt closed the door, Mickey scurried over to a small side table and plopped the heavy book down onto it.

"And what have we here?" Walt asked examining the book.

"Master Yen Sid's spell book," Mickey said with a sad sigh.

Walt's smile fell, "I guess this means that you haven't found Yen Sid yet."

"No sir," Mickey frowned, "I've run out of places to look. I've searched the valleys, the mountains, the forests… everywhere!"

"I'm very sorry to hear that, Mickey," Walt said gently. He motioned for Mickey to take a seat on a small stool that Walt kept in his room for when his shorter creations came to call.

"I've hidden the spells," Mickey admitted, "They're songs now."

"Songs?" Walt asked, he sounded mildly surprised.

"Yes sir," Mickey said. He opened the pages of the book, "I've written riddles inside the pages. That way only a very wise person will be able to find them."

Walt nodded approvingly, "A very good idea."

"There's just one small thing left," Mickey looked down at the book and chuckled, "Well… heh heh, maybe not _that _small."

"I see what you mean," Walt smiled

"So… I've hidden all the songs," Mickey said, "But… I need to leave this with someone I can trust.

"You don't plan on using it then?" Walt asked.

Mickey shook his head, "It would only lead to trouble. Do you suppose that you could…" Mickey nudged it closer to Walt.

"Keep it safe?" Walt asked.

"Well… yes," Mickey said, "But more than that. I cast one final spell over it. The last one that Yen Sid taught me. A sort of protection."

"Protection?" Walt asked quietly.

"Yeah," Mickey piped, "The spell. It's… it's not very good, I sort of… brought the book to life."

"To life?" Walt echoed in confusion.

"It won't do anything dangerous!" Mickey insisted, "I uh… learned my lesson with the brooms. It won't move or talk or anything… But it can think for itself. It will choose the next apprentice who can use it. That way I'll keep Yen Sid's promise, but no one can cause anymore trouble with it." _Including me_. Mickey added mentally.

"I see," Walt said examining the mysterious circle on the cover.

"So anyway," Mickey said, "You know more about The Kingdom than anyone. I figured… you could keep it safe until the right person came along."

"It would seem that it would be the book's choice and not mine," Walt pointed out.

"Yes sir," Mickey agreed, "But someone could find the book and hide it forever and then no one would be able to use it. The magic would… die! But you could keep your eyes open. You could watch The Kingdom and maybe the book will point you in the right direction and find the next apprentice."

"There is always that possibility," Walt agreed, "Very well Mickey. I'll keep good care of this for you."

"Oh thank you, thank you sir!" Mickey piped cheerily, he shook Walt's hand heartily before bounding off his stool. "Now, I really do hate to rush out like this, but I really must be going."

Walt chuckled as he led Mickey to the door, "And where are you off to in such a hurry?"

"I'm going to keep looking for my master," Mickey said.

"Without his spell book?" Walt questioned.

"Chernabog is gone sir," Mickey said, "The real danger is over, and I have magic after all. I'll be okay. I know that Master Yen Sid has to be out there somewhere and I'm gonna find him!"

Walt smiled gently at the young apprentice, "I wish you all the luck in your endeavor." He shook Mickey's gloved hand gently.

"Thank you sir," Mickey said, "I must be going now. Goodbye Mr. Disney."

"Of course, Goodbye Mickey," Walt said with a sigh as he watched Mickey's retreating figure, "Safe journeys."

Walt closed the door of the cottage and examined the book once again. "Hmm," he murmured, "A most peculiar book of songs." It was amazing how often his own creations managed to surprise him. He carried the book over to his chair.

"Most impressive, that such a small thing as this could make the biggest changes in The Kingdom."

-888-

_Crouched inside a barrel is not a good place to catch up on your reading. _Kelsey decided this shortly after she had wedged herself inside one of the apple barrels in The Black Pearl's galley. They always seemed to have apples in supply, Kelsey suspected that that had something to do with the ship's previous captain, Barbosa. Two foodstuffs were never in short supply on The Pearl. Apple and Rum. The crew could be starving, but they would spend their remaining days drinking down apple martinis.

Kelsey squirmed as she struggled to find a more comfortable position. Jim Hawkins had definitely romanticized the idea of hiding in apple barrels both in the Robert Louis Stevenson's novel, Treasure Island as well as the Disney adaption. Still… there was food, she had her iPod, and The Book of Songs was perched across her lap. Best of all, she had a place where she could be away from Sophia for more than five minutes.

Slipping one of her purple earbuds in, Kelsey examined The Book while Josh Groban sang into her ear telling her, _Don't Give Up! You Are Loved!_

Kelsey scoffed, "Easy for you to say Josh," she muttered, "I know just how much The Thirteen _loves _me." Kelsey rummaged around the barrel for a ripe apple. She shined it on the goldenrod sleeve of her coat before chomping into it.

She returned her attention to The Book and began flipping through the pages. The darkness of the barrel made it difficult to read, but the Atlantean crystal around her neck cast a faint blue light on the pages and the dark interior. If she needed any more light all she had to do was hum "Candle on the Water" and snap her fingers. Instant lighter.

It had come to Kelsey's attention that she had four songs, but there were still many other pages in The Book of Songs. She quickly paged through some of them. Lots of them were revealed to be maps. Outdated, old maps. There were many movies that had not been mentioned. The old classic Disney film worlds had been labelled. The Forest was there, albeit three times smaller than The Wild Lands that Kelsey knew. The New World wasn't labelled yet and Disney Europe and The Princess Lands were almost nonexistent.

Kelsey flicked through these maps with interest. Clearly, The Book of Songs had been around for a lot longer than she had previously thought. Kelsey scanned the yellowed pages before she came across something she had not seen before.

It appeared to be some sort of crude journal entry. The printing was bold and twirling. Kelsey leaned in closer to read the flowing script.

_-Apprentice nearly drowned us all today. Spell went wrong, he fell asleep. Punished him severely. Chores for the next three weeks. Book suffere minor water damage but was thankfully unharmed. A close call._

"Curious-er and curious-er," Kelsey mused, "Wizards? Like Merlin or Mim perhaps?" Kelsey read the next paragraph.

_-More rumors. Talk of goblins and ghosts now. Winged and Horned monster who lives on the peak. Bald Mountain. Hope rumors are not true, but fear the worst. My apprentice's training has become all the more important, must intensify._

Kelsey was transfixed by the entries. Who was the apprentice? Her eyes zeroed in on two words. _Bald Mountain_. Why did that seem so familiar?

"THERE YOU ARE!" Kelsey was caught off guard as suddenly the top of the barrel was pulled away and light swarmed in. Kelsey jumped as she saw Sophia's angry face.

"Shit," she swore.

Sophia shoved the barrel over. Kelsey toppled to the ground as an avalanche of apples rolled over her. "Did you think that you were funny?!" Sophia hollered, "Did you think you were clever?"

"This feels like a trap," Kelsey said, still flat on her back.

"You set that gown on fire!" Sophia cried, "The most powerful article in The Kingdom is in your hands and you use it for THAT?!"

"I told you I wasn't going to wear it!" Kelsey said stubbornly.

"Nonsense," Sophia snapped, "What else would you wear to this meeting?!"

"Nothing but my sneakers and my jacket," Kelsey grumbled, "_That'll _catch their attention." Sophia gasped and her hands flew to her mouth. "I was kidding, Sophia!" Kelsey muttered, "I'll just wear what I usually wear…"

"Like hell you will!" Sophia grumbled, "There's a certain amount of decorum needed in these lands. And there was nothing wrong with the first dress…"

"It was pink!" Kelsey snapped.

Sophia let out a heavy sigh, "It was the only color of fabric that I had on hand. Leftover from Jackie's gowns. It was a fine dress! Don't you have anything to say for yourself?"

"I repeat," Kelsey grumbled, "It was PINK!"

Sophia tossed her head back and groaned, "You infuriating pyromaniac! You'll fight in a battle for Notre Dame with nothing but a book and a bad attitude, but as soon as something requires you to actually look like a lady you turn tail and run!" Sophia gripped Kelsey's arm, "Believe it or not, the fate of The Kingdom may depend on you wearing a dress."

"Not!" Kelsey muttered, "Definitely not!"

"I don't care!" Sophia growled, "I have to make another one and unfortunately I need you to be present for this work. Now move!"

Kelsey sighed and rolled her eyes. She'd faced villains and monsters of all varieties, but Sophia was decidedly more frightening than all of them combined. The mysteries of The Book and Bald Mountain would have to wait until later.


	2. A Nerd Amongst Princesses

**The Great Disney Adventure III: Heroes and Villains**

**A Disney story by talking2myself**

**DISCLAIMER: **See Chapter 1.

**Chapter. 2 A Nerd Amongst Princesses **

THE ENTRANCE TO THE KINGDOM

OCTOBER 10th 2007

When Walt Disney died in 1966, his spirit remained in The Kingdom. He never grew any older and he seemed to move amongst his creations like a god. Perhaps it was because he was their creator?

Despite his newly discovered power, Walt found it better to play a detached role in his newfound universe. The Kingdom had a certain balance, one that he thought would be better not to upset. He was a content observer of his creations. He interacted them on a friendly, mortal, level.

Of course, Walt did still have a few ties to his former world. When he first arrived in The Kingdom, he too had to pass through the doorway from Alice in Wonderland. Walt found that he often lingered in the dark hallway. When he had "crossed over" Walt had been blessed with a magical mirror of sorts. A portal that allowed him to watch his one-time world.

He was happy in The Kingdom, but there were some things that The Kingdom couldn't provide. The main joy that Walt had received was watching children encounter his creations for the first time. That was where the real magic was created. Seeing the wonder and joy, and total belief, in their wide eyes.

The portal provided a slight solution to this. Walt was able to keep an eye on his former world. While Walt watched the fast moving world, he noticed something. Belief was fading. Cynicism was spreading like wild fire, striking even the youngest children early. Magic was turning into myth, while Walt had all the proof in the world that it exists.

Finally, Walt could sit by no more. Walt was dead and had no way to return to his original world. He couldn't guide the children here himself, but he did have a plan. Walt made a trip to Neverland. After some intense negotiating with the local fairies, Walt received a packet of fairy dust.

Walt formed that packet into a magical disc, one that looked remarkable similar to a modern DVD. Walt sent this DVD out into the world. Like The Book of Songs, The DVD seemed to have a will of its own due to the magical fairy dust. It magically appeared in a person's possession, usually a child or teen.

The magic DVD would magically transport the person to The Kingdom where Walt would welcome them into The Kingdom. The only way a person could return home was by journeying through The Kingdom and learning multiple lessons on their way. It was always the same process. They would come, they would learn, and they would continue on their way. They would never regret the experience, but most of them never returned to The Kingdom. After all, it was a place for children and innocence.

And then Kelsey came to The Kingdom…

-888-

Walt stood in the hallway, waiting for the inevitable thud of the next person falling into The Kingdom's entrance. He didn't have to wait long. There was a bright flash of light as she stumbled into the black room.

She had a rougher landing than most, Walt noted. Not the most graceful person to arrive. "OUCH!" Kelsey grumbled as she sat up. Walt couldn't help, but smile. Kelsey didn't look scared, not like most of them. She looked annoyed. This girl had a tenacity that no one could deny.

Her annoyance rapidly shifted to fear. But not for herself. She couldn't find her cousin. Emma had made her entrance only minutes before Kelsey. The girl had natural curiosity and had quickly made her way to the little door. Walt had only enough time to sprinkle her with a pinch of fairy dust to make her animated.

Kelsey was unlike anyone who had come to The Kingdom before. He recognized that instantly. She was The One. She had a spirit unlike the others. She was determined, courageous and strong, but all of this was covering up a heart that was fully capable of fierce and protective love.

But she wasn't ready yet. Walt could see that as well. Kelsey wore cynicism around her like a suit of armor. She was quick to doubt, slow to believe, and she had no faith in anything… including herself. It was obvious why Kelsey needed The Kingdom, but Walt also knew that The Kingdom needed her.

Mickey's words rang in his ears. _The powerful book in the hands of a novice could be worse than handing it over to the worst villain_. Walt knew that she would one day receive The Book of Songs, but he couldn't give it to her yet. The Kingdom needed to work its magic on her. She needed to believe in something… in herself. Only then could she help The Kingdom.

He sent Kelsey on her way, trusting her to go off on her own. Then, he returned to his cottage in The Forest. His cabin was still the same, but The Forest had increased in size and was now home to numerous other creatures beyond the Bambi critters. He pushed the door open and nearly tripped over something.

It was The Book. Normally, Walt kept The Book of Songs hidden in the drawer of his desk. Safe away from prying eyes. Clearly, The Book was impatient. Almost like it knew that The One Who Walks Between Two Worlds had arrived.

Walt sighed and lifted the heavy book off the ground. "She's not ready yet," Walt said quietly. He scooped up The Book. "Give her some time, old friend," Walt smiled, "Wait. She'll be ready soon enough. But not yet."

-888-

"GAH! Dammit Sophia! My ribcage is not collapsible!"

Sophia glared at Kelsey as she yanked the bodice strings tighter. "Pipe down. I have zero sympathy for you! You could have had a dress that fit properly if you hadn't been so childish."

Kelsey let out a heavy sigh. She was standing in front of a mirror in one of the cabins on The Black Pearl. She stared back at the strange person standing in front of her. The girl glared back at her through black square glasses. Her short blonde hair yanked back in a low bun and her black, scuffed tennis shoes poked through the bottom of the dress.

"It had to be pink," Kelsey sighed.

"Hmmph!" Sophia grumbled. Kelsey decided that the only thing odder than the sight of herself in a dress was Sophia in jeans and a t shirt. Since Kelsey had a limited number of formal ware outfits thanks to her previous lapse of judgement, she had been forced to trade outfits with the fairy. Now she stood there in Sophia's regulation pink fairy Godmother dress of satin and tulle and ribbons while Sophia was bustling about in Kelsey's jeans and red t-shirt. Sophia's elaborate updo rather clashed with her street clothes and ribboned slippers.

Sophia was clearly taking out her anger on Kelsey's midriff. Kelsey sighed heavily. She knew that kind of deserved it. "Look… Sophia, I'm sorry. It's not about the dress… or pink… though I DO detest the color."

"…I know." Sophia said curtly, though her voice did soften a little, "You'll have to get over these pre-conceived prejudices. And improve your attitude… and quick. Or they'll eat you alive."

"I thought they only ate salads," Kelsey grumbled, "UGH! I don't want to go to this meeting, Sophia!"

"They're just a bunch of pretty girls in dresses," Sophia snapped, "You faced scarier things on The Black Pearl…like half the crewmembers for example."

"The crewmembers are considerably less intimidating," Kelsey said, "And they have better dinner conversation."

"Ah yes. Discussions of how to properly gut one of the queen's officers. They're the very picture of decorum," Sophia remarked dryly.

A knock at the door interrupted their conversation.

"Are you decent?" a cautious voice questioned.

"That's a matter of opinion," Kelsey grumbled. Sophia swatted Kelsey upside the head.

"Come in, Will," she sighed.

The door to the cabin creaked open. Will entered slowly with one hand splayed over his eyes. For a moment, Kelsey could have sworn that he was blushing. "God, Will, you're too much of a gentleman for your own good."

"Courtesy has nothing to do with this," Will said, "You only have to make the mistake of walking into a lady's room while she's dressing once, before exerting a certain amount of caution…. Particularly if the woman is Elizabeth Swann."

"I'm covered," Kelsey sighed, "I'm pink, but I'm PG." Will let out a sigh of relief and lowered his hand.

Will examined Kelsey once and tried not to frown. Kelsey looked okay, but she didn't look like herself. Everything seemed too frilly and girly for Kelsey. Besides that, the dress seemed too tight in some areas and too short in others. The only real clue that Kelsey was somewhere in that pink cloud of fluff was her worn tennis shoes sticking out from the bottom of her skirt. Will found himself wishing that he could magically produce Kelsey's green and gold ball gown. He remembered his surprise at seeing Kelsey at his wedding in the dress. She walked tall and noble in that dress.

"Do you have some real business here?" Sophia demanded, snapping Will out of his thoughts.

"Another issue with Aaron," Will sighed, not wanting to burden Kelsey with the newest passenger. Kelsey's eyes darkened. "Permission to throw him overboard?"

"Denied," Kelsey sighed, "What is he doing this time?"

"His usual tricks," Will sighed, "Nothing particularly unique…"

"Will," Kelsey heard Emma stumble into the room. Emma tugged on Will's trousers. "Will, my teacher says that if something is important enough its not taddling, it's reporting. So you don't have to feel bad…."

"That's not it, Emma!" Will scowled.

"But he called you a swear!" Emma yelped in horror, "He should get sent to time out!"

"He _is_ in timeout, Emma," Will sighed, "It's called The Brig here."

"What did he call you, Will?" Kelsey asked spinning around quickly and causing Sophia to cluck her tongue in disapproval as she attempted to pin her dress.

"Nothing," Will snapped, "I'm far beyond sticks and stones."

"What?!" Emma cried, "He called you a B-A-S-T-A-R…"

"He said a few less than pleasant things about my parents," Will grumbled sliding a hand over Emma's mouth, "Said something about how…" Will quickly moved his hands to Emma's ears. "He said us bastards should stick together. It's nothing new. He's just trying to turn me against you again."

"Little twerp," Kelsey grumbled, "Maybe I should throw him over…"

"I volunteer," Will said eagerly.

"Try to ignore him, Will," Kelsey sighed, "He can't hurt you anymore than he has. I'm sorry that he said those things to you."

"Not your fault," Will shrugged, "Though I still say that the whole problem could easily be… tossed aside. If we wanted to."

"We're not sinking to the villains' level," Kelsey retorted, "If we do we're just as bad as them. Tell me that someone is with him now."

"Elizabeth is watching him," Will said, "I would have violated one of your rules by now otherwise."

Kelsey frowned, "Don't hurt him, but shut him up in anyway possible."

"Fine," Will sighed, "A cork from Jack's rum collection ought to do it." Will turned around and was about to leave. He paused in the doorway and turned to face Kelsey, "And for what it's worth. You look… lovely."

Kelsey knew that he was lying; his eyes gave it away. She looked out of place and anxious and Will could see it. But right now, she needed to hear the lie. "Thank you, Will," Kelsey said quietly. Will nodded and disappeared down the corridor.

"You'll need to lose the shoes," Sophia pointed out.

"Hell no," Kelsey retorted.

"Why?!" Sophia sighed with resignation.

"If you want me to go in there fighting and… "chipper" than you better let me go in with comfortable shoes."

"Fine," Sophia sighed, "I suppose if a fight breaks out…"

"Why would a fight break out?" Kelsey asked, "These girls are supposed to be peaceful."

"A fight shouldn't break out," Sophia said, "But knowing you… it will."

-888-

A few hours later, Kelsey stepped out of the chamber and onto the main deck of the ship with Emma tailing behind her. Kelsey had decided to bring Emma along for emotional support. _She could also come in handy_, Kelsey reasoned, _she's cute, that could go along way with this crowd._

Jack bounded down from the helm and greeted her. "My what an elegant lady we have," he grinned roguishly.

"Jack, I'm warning you. I have a dagger strapped to my thigh!" Kelsey snapped, "First person to so much a snicker loses an ear."

"Well, it's a good thing that God gave me two of them isn't it," Jack grinned.

"Jack…!" Kelsey growled.

"Just kidding love, you need to lighten up," Jack offered her his arm and the two of them strolled down the gangplank and into The Princess Lands. Kelsey sighed. She was probably going to be the first princess with a pirate escort.

The meeting was to be held at the nearby castle of The Sea Kingdom. The home of Prince Eric and his new princess, Ariel. A stiff and proper looking man was standing there waiting to greet them.

"Ah The Mad Hatter of Wonderland," he said bowing low, "It's a great pleasure. You're expected of course. My name is Grimsby and I'm to escort you to the castle."

"Yes, thanks," Kelsey muttered distractedly. She was struggling to ignore the sick feeling of butterflies.

"Last chance to bolt, love," Jack remarked as they walked inside.

"I can't," Kelsey sighed heavily, "We can't do this by ourselves. Not with thirteen villains against us. The odds aren't fair… no matter how many blaster cannons we have on our side. We're going to need help."

"Ah Jumba's blaster cannons," Jack smiled, "Best present I've ever got. Though enlighten me love, how are a bunch of girls going to help us?"

"We're not really here for them," Kelsey muttered, "We're here to ask for their help… or more to the point… we're here for their princes."

"I see…" Jack said, "Bit against your principles isn't it?"

"Trust me, I know I'm setting women's rights back a good century," Kelsey sighed, "I'll devote the rest of my life to feminism in order to atone for this."

"And you call me dramatic," Jack grumbled. The two of them followed Grimsby up the hallways until they arrived at two elegant doors that led to the dining room.

"Here you are madam," Grimsby said, "Whenever you're ready." He then bowed low and disappeared down the hall.

"Do you think they'll provide refreshments?" Emma asked, "Ooh! Maybe they'll have animal crackers!"

"Well, this is a rather sophisticated crowd, love," Jack said, "They'll probably have swanky food like fish eggs on crackers and ladyfingers."

Emma's eyes went wide and her face went very pale, "L-ladyfingers?! I don't think I'm hungry anymore."

Kelsey stared at the door before her. A bigger hurtle than she ever imagined. Suddenly, she felt violently ill and Jack's talk of fish eggs and ladyfingers wasn't helping.

"I can't do this," she stammered.

"You have to, love!" Jack pointed out, "We need their help to take down The Thirteen. It's either this or take on the Krakken singlehandedly."

"Right," Kelsey sighed. She drew a deep breath and clutched Emma's hand tightly. "Okay, open the door."

Jack swung open the door to reveal a large dining room. Sitting at the table was every princess of The Royal Lands. She recognized several of them right away, Aurora and Philip, the prince and princess of The Spinner Kingdom. Both of them wore golden crowns and Aurora wore a lovely woven veil over her hair to identify her kingdom's talent. Her lovely dress continued to blink different colors. Blue. Pink. Blue. Pink. It was as though the good fairies' quarrel had permanently affected the dress forever making it blink different colors.

Sitting next to them was Cinderella and her prince, the prince and princess of The Glass Kingdom. Like Aurora, Cinderella was dressed in a fancy ball gown and twinkling glass slippers. Kelsey questioned the practicality of such footwear, but she didn't say anything.

Next to them was Snow White and her prince, Sophia's former employer and The Royal members of The Queen's Kingdom. The Queen herself was long gone, but clearly her influence was still felt within The Kingdom. Kelsey felt a twinge of guilt at seeing her. The last time she had encountered Snow White, she had crashed her apple festival… as well as one of the stain glass windows in her palace.

Kelsey's guilt trip continued when she looked to the other side of the table. Sitting there, glaring at her, were her two biggest regrets since coming into The Kingdom. One was Belle. She sat there looking at Kelsey in surprise as though trying to place where she had seen her before. Kelsey had accidentally crashed into Belle only to steal her magical mirror. Kelsey prayed that Belle wouldn't remember her halfway through the presentation.

The other person, was openly glaring at her. It was someone Kelsey had prayed would not be present. It was Aladdin. He was dressed in his regal turban and cape. There was no doubt that HE recognized her.

Jasmine was there as well. She sat next to Aladdin and appeared to be romantically involved with him. She held his hand on the table and would take time to smile at him warmly. Kelsey was actually kind of relieved that Aladdin hadn't been drowned by Jafar's guards yet.

Fortunately, Kelsey did catch a glimpse of one smiling face. Ariel. Emma burst into smiles and waved eagerly at Ariel. Ariel grinned and waved back. Kelsey grumbled at their close relationship. Emma had been accidentally turned into a mermaid when they first arrived in The Kingdom. Ariel had saved her and had been won over by Emma. At least she would have one ally. She knew that bringing Emma was a good idea.

Kelsey was going to enter when she caught a conversation between Cinderella and Snow White. "I'm a nerd amongst princesses," she groaned, "I'm doomed!"

"I always knew that having a chipper attitude would help pay off," Cinderella said to Snow White, "I was finally able to marry my prince charming."

"Me too!" Snow White piped eagerly, "It's all about being cheery."

Kelsey stood there in the doorway in horror for a few moments before picking up her skirts and charging for the doorway. Jack moved quickly to intercept her. "Love!" he grumbled holding her back.

"No! No! Don't make me do it! I'll take the krakken!" she yelped.


	3. Comparing Sob Stories

**The Great Disney Adventure III: Heroes and Villains**

**A Disney story by talking2myself**

**DISCLAIMER: **See Chapter 1.

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **Due to a family emergency I have not been updating as frequently. My grandpa recently passed away. I ask that you please remain patient. Fanfiction will not be a large priority for me during this difficult time.

**Chapter. 3 Comparing Sob Stories**

SEPTEMBER 5th 2008

THE REAL WORLD

Gladys Nash had been a social worker for seventeen years and over the course of her entire career she had never encountered a more difficult child than the sullen looking teenager in the backseat of her car. Gladys sighed as she glanced up at the rearview mirror and saw two intensely dark eyes staring back at her. Gladys shook her head. _The boy actually would be quite handsome if he didn't have that serial killer sort of look in his eyes_.

His hair was as dark as his eyes and fell about his face in unkempt waves. Gladys had tried to get him to straighten it up, but quickly realized that it was impossible. _All about picking your battles with this one_, Gladys sighed.

It wasn't a huge surprise to Gladys that he had turned out the way he had. She had seen the home that they had pulled him from. The mom had been shipped off to rehab (Not that it would make much of a difference in Gladys's opinion), and his father didn't even get up out of his armchair when she had removed him from the old home. That boy had no notion of love or affection. His parents were so preoccupied with things other than parenting she was surprised that it had taken so long for social services to pull him from the house. He didn't appear to care so much, but Gladys could tell that he was secretly seething with an unspoken (and totally justifiable in her opinion) anger.

Of course he didn't take that anger out on his parents. He took it out on his foster parents, his foster brothers and sisters, the case workers, anyone who dared to get close to him, anyone who offered any shred of pity. Gladys understood the little twerp, but that didn't make him any easier to tolerate. He was still a royal pill.

"We're almost here," she said, "_Another _brand new start for you." The boy shrugged nonchalantly. Gladys adjusted the mirror of the car so her eyes met his. "Don't mess this one up."

"Whatever," he grumbled irritably.

"I mean it!" Gladys snapped, "Unless you want social services to ship you off to some country in Africa."

"Can I request Egypt?" he asked sardonically. He smirked triumphantly in the rear view mirror. Gladys scowled and slammed on the brakes. The boy lunged forwards as she stopped and Gladys secretly smiled as his head smacked the seat.

"I mean it!" she threatened, "If I hear so much as _one _complaint from your foster parents I'll come back here and smack that smug smile off your face so quickly…!"

"You don't scare me," he retorted angrily, he met her gaze fearlessly and challenge gleamed in his eyes.

Gladys sighed heavily. Confrontation would not help. It would just feed the angry beast that was the boy's temper. "No, I don't suppose I do," she sighed, "Too bad. You'll never make it in life with that attitude."

"Shut up!" he scowled. "I don't need your pity!"

"Well, get used to it, boy," Gladys retorted, "The whole world will have nothing _but _pity for you if you have so much hate in your heart."

He scowled at her and shrunk back in the seat. He was going to pout now. Gladys shook her head and put the car back into drive. The boy had three settings. Angry, smug, and pouting. Pouting was by far the easiest for Gladys to put up with. They continued the rest of the car ride in tense silence until Gladys pulled into the driveway of his new foster home. Gladys parked the car and got out of the car. She secretly prayed that the new family had the strength to deal with this one. So far three other families had failed and sent him on the way. _He may be the antichrist_, Gladys thought, _but if someone can love him, he just might turn around._

Gladys removed his worn out duffel bag from the trunk as he stepped out of the car. Gladys handed him his bag, a little bit surprised at how light the bag was. The boy really had nothing. He hefted the bag on his shoulder and met her eyes once again.

"You have my number?" Gladys asked.

"Yep," he shrugged.

"You'll behave?" she eyed him suspiciously.

He shrugged, "As long as they don't bug me."

Gladys shook her head and reached into the large purse which hung on her shoulder. She pulled out a DVD and handed it to him. "Here," she said, "The Lion King. An oldie, but a goodie."

The boy scowled at the DVD, "What am I four?"

"Hey," she snapped, "It was either this or Beauty and the Beast. This one has no princesses and Elton John music. Where can you go wrong?"

He rolled his eyes and snatched the DVD case from her hands. "Is that all?"

"That's all," Gladys sighed, "Do you need anything else?"

"I don't need nothing," he muttered. He turned on his heel and made his way towards the house.

Gladys shook her head, "Goodbye Aaron."

Aaron didn't look back as Gladys turned back to the car. It didn't matter. Gladys Nash was just another person who would fade in and out of his life. He looked down at the case in his hand and contemplated tossing it into the recycling bins outside the house. Instead, he shoved it into his duffel bag. He didn't know it at the time, but he would one day thank his lucky stars that Gladys had given him the key to entering The Kingdom.

-888-

That night Aaron had suffered through a small welcome party that is enthusiastic new foster parents had thrown for him. He had stayed there for ten minutes before retreating to the room that they had set aside for him. He knew that they were slightly disappointed that he had vanished so quickly, but he didn't really care. Love was fleeting in Aaron's life. Easily given, but also easily taken back. Aaron couldn't afford to get attached to this new family only to be shipped somewhere else in a few months.

Unfortunately, there wasn't much for Aaron to do in this new room. There was a TV and DVD player, but no decent TV shows on and no DVDs. Aaron sighed and tossed his duffel bag on the bed. As he did, The Lion King rolled out onto the bed. Aaron turned his head and examined the case. He rolled his eyes. "God! I must be desperate." Aaron picked up the DVD and popped it into the player. As he did, Aaron scowled. He hated Disney, but he needed SOMETHING to keep his mind off the meddlesome couple downstairs.

While Aaron began unpacking his meager belongings and putting his clothes into the dresser, he heard a voice. It was slightly fuzzy, like something from an old time radio program.

"We all come to this happy place… welcome."

"Walt Disney?" Aaron murmured to himself. Aaron slowly turned around when suddenly he felt some wild force suck him into the TV. The floor shook wildly like some sort of earthquake though he had never heard of any sort of earthquake happening in Minnesota. Aaron let out a cry of fright as he hit the ground. He ducked his head as his bag and the DVD case flew around the room haphazardly. Aaron lifted his head up slowly. The ground bucked wildly beneath him, or at least that was what it felt like to him. His elbows were banged up thoroughly and he couldn't find anything to grip onto.

Before Aaron could let out a yelp for his new parents, Aaron felt himself fly forwards to where the TV should have been. Instead he was flung screaming into a deep, black void. Aaron's stomach somersaulted over and over as he dropped down, down, down into the oblivion. He thought he was screaming, but there was no sound. And then just as suddenly as it occurred, he stopped. The ground rose up to meet him driving the wind from his lungs. He had arrived.

-888-

If there was one thing that Walt could change about The Kingdom, it would have been the entrance. The entrance would be more difficult for some rather than others. It all depended on belief. Emma had practically flown through her first time. Her own childish innocence had carried her in like a leaf on the wind. Stubborn, cynical, Kelsey, on the other hand, had to be dragged through roughly her first time. The second time had been easier for her, but it was a rougher trip for little Emma since Kelsey had refused to loosen her grip on her cousin.

Both trips had been easier than Aaron's. It had taken every ounce of the DVD's "power" to simply bring him to The Kingdom. Aaron groaned as he sat up roughly. He stared at the black and white tiled floor and swallowed anxiously.

"What… the…?" Aaron murmured as he moved slowly about the room. The hallways were pitch dark, but he could see a faint light in the distance and a tiny door was underneath it. Aaron quickly walked down the hallway until he reached the door. He peered at the door curiously. It appeared to be the only way out. Aaron reached out for the doorknob with his fingers.

"You can't go in like that."

Aaron jumped at the voice and whirled around in surprise. Walt stepped out of his waiting spot in the shadows of the entrance way. He smiled warmly at Aaron, The Book of Songs was under his arm. Kelsey had come and gone relatively quickly. Walt knew that The Book was eager to get into her care, but she was no longer in The Kingdom. That meant only one thing. She had to come back.

Walt had been expecting Kelsey to appear, not this strange, dark boy. Aaron glared at him. "I want to go back," he snarled. Walt couldn't help but notice that Aaron didn't say that he wanted to go home. "I assume that this door leads out."

"Oh it leads out," Walt agreed, "But not back. That door leads to The Kingdom."

Aaron didn't seem to care. Instead he whirled around and gripped the doorknob. He pulled hard on it, jiggling it until The Door sprang awake and began to cry out in a nasally voice fright.

"What on earf…? I say! Stop dat! Brute! Leggo!" Aaron let out a yelp of fright and backed away from the door. He turned to Disney and yelled, "I want to go back! Let me go back! Let me go back!"

Walt frowned at the boy. So angry. He had never seen a child so angry. "There's no going back. You can only go through," Walt said gently, "Go through The Kingdom and you will find your way home.

Aaron turned to face Walt suspiciously. "Who are you?" he demanded.

Walt smiled at him gently, "Walt Disney."

Aaron shook his head, "You're insane. Walt Disney's dead."

"In a way," Walt agreed.

"You're nuts!" Aaron snarled, "Insane! I'll have to find my own way back."

"You don't believe in me?"

"No," Aaron snapped. "It's all a trick! All of this! Smoke and mirrors."

"Do you believe in anything?" Walt asked.

"No," Aaron grumbled, "I'm probably the most cynical person you will ever meet."

"No…" Walt said thoughtfully, "You're the _second most _cynical person." Walt looked at The Book thoughtfully before he stepped forwards, "If you're so determined to get back from where you came. This will lead you home." He handed Aaron The Book of Songs.

"What the hell is this?" Aaron asked looking the worn book over.

"The Book of Songs," Walt said, "You are to be its keeper. This is the most powerful article in The Kingdom."

Aaron warily accepted The Book and began to page through it. As he did, Walt whistled for Tinkerbell. The pixie emerged from the shadows and at a signal from Walt she showered Aaron in pixie dust, turning him into an animated character. As she did this, Walt slunk back into the shadows. He heard Aaron's angry yelp at Tinkerbell in the distance. Walt prayed that he was making the correct decision. If all went as planned, Kelsey and Aaron would find each other, and both would discover what they needed.

-888-

THE KINGDOM

ABOARD THE BLACK PEARL

Will normally didn't shirk his duties on The Pearl, but when the time came for Will to return to the brig for his guard shift Will tried everything to avoid going back in. Kelsey was off meeting with the princesses so he couldn't appeal to her understanding nature. After attempting to switch shifts with Gibbs, Marty, Duncan, Cotton, Sophia, and Rob, Will was forced to go back into the little cabin. His own fiancé even refused. Will was tempted to argue that Jack the Undead Monkey would make a better guard than himself. _At least, Jack won't be able to understand the vile child's words._

As Will stepped into the room, Aaron looked up and a slim grin crossed his face. "Why Master Turner," he said, "You've come back."

"Pipe down or I'll tie you to the chair again," Will snapped. Kelsey had allowed Aaron to remain untied as long as he stayed in the cabin.

"My! Aren't we the civil one?" Aaron cried in mock surprise.

"Civil?" Will grumbled, "You're in the brig! What did you expect? Tea and crumpets?"

"Aren't you under orders to keep me safe?" Aaron responded.

"Pirate," Will said with a grin, "Kelsey's commands are more like suggestions than actual orders."

"She wouldn't appreciate it if something happened to me!" Aaron cried.

"Yeah, you're right," Will said thoughtfully, "To deny Kelsey the honor of beating you black and blue herself would just be bad manners. Especially after all the trouble you've caused her."

"Trouble?" Aaron snapped, "I'm doing her a favor! I'm showing her the world as it really is!"

"Oh?" Will asked in a bored voice.

"Yes!" Aaron yelled, "You don't understand at all do you? The way that I am?" Aaron stepped forwards until his nose was inches away from Will's. "If you knew the thing that I've seen. You would be amazed."

Will was not at all frightened, "Try me."

"Fine," Aaron scoffed turning away from Will. "My mother would drink herself into a stupor every night. But that wasn't even the worst of it. No. That was my father. He would watch. Watch as my mother drank herself nearly to death. He would watch as the social workers came and took me away. He would watch and do nothing! And I was passed from home to home. Family to family without end." He glared at Will, "And now you know. You know why I'm the way I am. Hardship is all that I've ever known."

Will stared at Aaron for a few moments before he spoke, "You're right." he said, "I'm amazed." Aaron's smug smile slithered across his face. "I'm amazed at how easy you had it!" Will's voice was hard as he spoke. Aaron's smile was gone and he gaped at Will in amazement and anger. "You want to hear a sob story?" Will asked coldly, "That's nothing."

Slowly, Will rolled one of his sleeves up revealing his forearm. A long, ugly, burn mark ran up and down his left arm. "This is what happens when you drop a hot poker on your bare skin." Will got a small smug feeling of triumph when he saw Aaron recoil from the wound. "I was seven years old," Will said, "Far too young to be working in a blacksmith shop." he sighed heavily, "But I was." Will rolled his sleeve back down.

Aaron looked at him suspiciously, "Is that all?"

Will chuckled, "Oh no. That is just the beginning. I was working with a sleazy old man. A stingy, cruel master who needed someone to do all his work. Who else would hire a child to do metal forgery? He never taught me how to use the tools properly which is how I singed my arm."

"That's your own fault," Aaron cried impatiently, "You chose to work that young!"

"I _had _to work that young," Will corrected, "My father abandoned the family several months after I was born, and my mother." Will drew a breath as his voice caught with emotion, "My mother was sick." Will glared at Aaron, "You don't know "hardship" until you watch your good, sweet mother die a slow painful death knowing that there's nothing you can do to save her. I worked for hours trying to earn enough wages to save her, to keep us both fed, to keep a roof over our head… but it wasn't enough. She died." Will sighed softly, "After she died, I stowed away on a ship to Port Royal. My ship was attacked by pirates and sunk. I would have died if Elizabeth didn't spot me floating in the wreckage…" Will paused a small smile coming across his lips as he thought about Elizabeth. "Of course, things never got any easier once I got there. I worked for a slothful, lazy master. Eventually, I was responsible for keeping the drunkard's business going just so I could eat. He took credit for every sword I crafted, received a bulk of the money, and was content to let me starve. Besides that, I have everyone in Elizabeth's high society telling me that I was beneath them simply because I was poor."

"Is there a point to all this?" Aaron cried in frustration.

"Yes," Will snapped, "I'm not like you. I've seen more than you ever will. Granted, you've been through some terrible things, but you've always had a roof over your head, food to eat, you've never had to work for a thing, and people tried to help you. The fact that you are "the way you are" is your own damn fault!"

William glared at Aaron. "People are capable of _both _good and evil. Hardship does not equal evilness. People choose which paths they walk and to blame the hurt you caused others on your own life is cowardly, a cop out."

Aaron didn't say anything. He simply shut his mouth and turned his back to Will. Will smiled grimly. He had succeeded in shutting Aaron up. He would at least be quiet for the remainder of his shift. Maybe the little snake had some thinking to do.

-888-

"What's going on in there?" Pintel asked eagerly.

"I can't tell," Raggetti muttered, "He stopped talking." A small crowd of the career was positioned outside the door to the brig listening to the conversation going on inside.

"Well, clean the muck out of your ears and listen closer!" Duncan cried, "We got money riding on this! I have three coins that Will'll deck 'im good before his shift is over."

"An' I got three coins that he won't," Marty snapped, "Will's smarter than to go against Kelsey's orders."

"If there's one bloke who could get away with bending Kelsey's rules it's Will," Duncan countered, "Besides, Kelsey's not _that _scary."

"Perhaps you'd like to tell Miss Kelsey that yourself…"

The crew members jumped in shock as they heard Elizabeth's voice. Elizabeth and Gibbs were standing in the hallway glaring down at the guilty crew members.

"By all the heathen Gods!" Gibbs roared, "What a filthy pack of blackhearts this ship has! You'd all bet your mamas for a gold piece!"

"Hey!" Ragetti yelled at Pintel, "You told me we wasn't accepting mothers! I coulda got in on this pool!"

"We ain't!" Pintel snarled, "Besides who'd want _your _mama anyway!"

"Why I oughtta…!" Ragetti yelled throwing himself at Pintel before long the two were locked in a squall on the ground.

"Two gold pieces on Pintel!" Duncan called out.

"Double that on Ragetti!" Marty piped.

"ENOUGH!" Gibbs roared, "If you bunch of miserable, bilgerats want to engage in any further gambling you can take it to the above deck." There was a pause and then all of the crew members dragged Pintel and Raggetti up the steps to the main deck. Elizabeth shook her head as they fled.

"Honestly, the thought that so many grown men would engage in such a diabolical pasttime as games of chance… !" Elizabeth turned to see Gibbs with his ear to the door. Gibbs jumped at Elizabeth's cry and blushed.

"Well… er… you see…" Gibbs stammered, "I might have put a gold piece on Will NOT punching the whelp…" Elizabeth glared at Gibbs. "Never mind," he said quickly before scampering back up the steps.

Elizabeth rolled her eyes as she made her way back up the steps.

"Bloody pirates."


	4. Much to Gain, Much to Lose

**The Great Disney Adventure III: Heroes and Villains**

**A Disney story by talking2myself**

**DISCLAIMER: **See Chapter 1.

**Chapter. 3 Much to Gain, Much to Lose**

AUGUST 12th 2008

THE ENCHANTED CASTLE

For a few moments, Gaston was convinced that he had finally won. His actions were not honorable in any way shape or form, but for a few seconds he believed that he was the victor.

After The Beast had dropped him to the ground and turned his back, Gaston had saw his chance. The Beast had climbed back up to the top of the tower to tenderly caress Belle's cheek. Gaston raged at the loving gesture. He bolted up to the top of the tower, swiftly drawing a dagger from his belt. He stabbed The Beast roughly in the side.

The Beast reared back and let out a tormented roar of pain. Gaston grinned wickedly. He had done it. He had won.

Or so he had thought.

Suddenly, The Beast's wild pained movements knocked Gaston off kilter. Gaston felt a horrible feeling of panic overwhelm him. His arms pin wheeled wildly as he struggled to regain his balance. Belle clutched The Beast, pulling him to safety, but Gaston stumbled over the edge of the palace and plummeted to the ground towards the dark abyss.

Gaston screamed in utter terror as the darkness grew closer and closer. Gaston began to see his entire life flashing before his eyes in a hurried rush. Gaston wailed and squeezed his eyes shut, preparing for the end.

CRASH!

Surprisingly enough, Gaston didn't feel the crushing pain of his fall. He slowly worked up the courage to open his eyes, he realized that he was in the back seat of some sort of flying chariot.

"Wow, good thing we were on time," he heard a green, skinny, little monster cry.

"Yeah," another monster agreed, this one was maroon colored and shorter and rounder. "Look at those pointy rocks, and if we weren't hear to catch him…"

Gaston let out a small cry of fright as he backed away from the two creatures who had apparently saved his life. Gaston suddenly felt a stab of fear. He had killed The Beast and now he had probably been dashed on the rocks. "Oh no!" he cried, "I've died and gone to hell!"

"Actually, that would be our _next _destination!" the green monster piped.

"And trust us," the other one said, "You're not dead. We're kind of experts on the subject."

"You'd be greener if you were dead," The first added.

"And you'd scream less."

"Yeah, it would be more a moan."

Gaston looked from one to the other and his horror only increased, "WHAT IS GOING ON?"

"Oh, yes," the first piped, "We should probably have proper introductions. I'm Panic."

"And I'm Pain," the second said, "We are servants of the most lugubrious Lord Hades of the Underworld."

"And you've been invited to join a most exclusive club of villains," Panic chimed in. "It's quite an honor really."

"I'll say," Pain agreed.

"Oh… really?" Gaston asked, still in terror, "And… and what if I refuse?"

"Well…" Panic said, "It's a loooong way down…"

"Okay, okay!" Gaston cried hysterically, "I understand. I'll go. I'll meet your lord."

"Alrighty then!" Panic smiled, "Next stop… The Underworld!"

Gaston clung to the back of the seat and anxiously pondered whether or not he was better off being dashed against the rocks.

-888-

Initially, Hades hadn't been very wild about his lair becoming the new hideout for The Thirteen. "I work very hard to create an atmosphere of darkness and eternal gloom here," Hades retorted, "I feel like some punk kid pulling the shots will make the place lose some it's… intimidation."

"Rest assured," Jafar calmed Hades, "Lord Aaron will see to it that this place is known far and wide as a place of terror and misery."

"Hmm," Hades mused, "Terror and misery huh? Not bad. I can work with that I suppose. But one wrong move and he's out on his head faster than you can say "underworld"."

"Of course, of course," Jafar snapped waving away his concerns. Aaron grinned. He had been fortunate to come across Jafar so quickly. Jafar had made his dreams of overthrowing this new world possible. Aaron might have lied about how he found The Book, but the fact that he _had _it did instill a certain amount of respect and fear in the hearts of The Kingdom's villains.

The concept for The Thirteen had been Aaron's, but Jafar's connections made it possible. Aaron wasn't sure how the old sorcerer had amassed so many villains so quickly, but he had done it. Hades, Rourke and Hook were already here and more and more were arriving daily. Thirteen in total. An unlucky number for some perhaps, but Aaron felt that it was fitting for an evil organization.

Aaron had no desire to return to his old world. In his old world, he was weak. He had no power. He was constantly shipped from place to place. Passed from hand to hand like a dollar bill. Here, he was feared. He was a leader. A conqueror.

He had always hated Disney and didn't feel the slightest bit of guilt about his impending invasion. Soon he would have a world all his own and everyone would bend to his will. And best of all, he was the only Real person in The Kingdom. The only one would who wouldn't heed all of Disney's rules. The one who knew everything about the characters. He would take advantage of this. No one would be able to stop him.

Or so he thought…

Little did he know, that his greatest enemy and ironically his one redeemer was falling into The Kingdom. She didn't know about him, or The Book, or any plans of invasion.

All she knew was that her little brother was in trouble.

-888-

PRESENT DAY

THE PRINCESS LANDS

At the age of nineteen, Kelsey had taken numerous speech classes, taken parts in numerous school plays, and seen more Andrew Lloyd Weber productions than was probably healthy for a girl of her age. None of them had prepared her for this moment. Standing before the princesses, Kelsey felt violently ill.

Jack clutched Kelsey's shoulders before whispering into her ear, "Good luck, love. I'll pop in later."

"WHAT?" Kelsey cried, "Where do you think you're going?"

"The Princess Lands are no place for a pirate," Jack said, "I'll only hurt your argument."

"Brilliant," Kelsey scowled, "Better bring back rum next time."

"Will do, love," Jack said with a grin, "Cheerio." Jack skulked out the door leaving Kelsey alone in the parlor clinging to Emma's hand. Kelsey stared out at all the princesses in their royal best and her confidence dropped a little more.

Kelsey knew that she had a decent enough body. She was proud of her bright blue eyes and smile even if her proportions weren't Barbie-doll like. But these princesses were designed to be animated perfection. It was easy to feel a little self-conscious. Kelsey couldn't help but wonder why none of them had glasses. _You'd think there'd be one by now._ Kelsey pushed aside these petty concerns and struggled to focus on the main issue that had brought her here.

"Hello ladies and gentlemen," Kelsey said very cordially, "Lovely afternoon."

"Oh yes indeed!" Cinderella agreed, "Not too warm."

"Not at all," Aurora piped cheerfully.

Kelsey dug her fingernails into the palm of her hand and tried to keep her smile in place. "Anyways, I'm here on a very urgent mission and…"

"Would you like to sit down Miss Kelsey?" Snow White asked kindly, "It can't be very comfortable standing there with your back to the door."

Kelsey exhaled slowly through her nose. She wanted to pull her glasses down onto the bridge of her nose and deliver a Malcolm X inspired speech that would rouse all these princesses to chase down The Thirteen and hang them out to dry like Cinderella's laundry, but clearly she would have to try a different tactic. This was after all a tea party _and _a war party.

_I'm the Mad Hatter_, she reminded herself, _I should be good at both._

"Yes, thank you," Kelsey said stiffly as she sat down at the head of the table. Emma pulled up a stool next to her and began to look at the ladyfingers suspiciously. Kelsey shook her head at her cousin's antics. _Probably looking for fingernails._

"As I was saying," Kelsey continued, "I need your help to…"

"Would you care for some tea, Miss Kelsey?" Aurora asked politely.

"No. Thank you…"

"How about a crumpet?" Cinderella added.

"No, really. I'm fine…"

"A glass of milk or something?" Snow White asked, "The kitchen can always fetch more."

"No. I. Am. Fine." Kelsey said through gritted teeth.

"Are you sure?" Aurora asked, "It's really smashing tea."

In that moment, Kelsey lost her patience. She slammed her hands onto the table causing the teacups to clatter. "I don't want tea! I want results! I want retribution! I want a change I can believe in!" Kelsey paused for a moment and embarrassment washed over as the royal members of the table stared at her in disbelief. Kelsey squeezed her eyes shut as she felt her face burn. "Emma. Tell me that I didn't just quote Barack Obama."

Emma smiled sadly at her cousin, "It could have been worse."

*"You're right," Kelsey grumbled, "I could have quoted Sarah Palin."

"Miss Kelsey," Jasmine said suddenly, "Perhaps it would be best if you told us why you're here."

"Right," Kelsey said anxiously, "I'm sure you've all heard about The Thirteen by now."

"Of course," Belle said.

"Well, they need to be stopped," Kelsey said, "They're risking the lives of everyone who lives in The Kingdom. I intend on stopping them."

Kelsey received a small amount of applause at this announcement. "Thank you," she said, "But I can't do this on my own. I'll need help. This is where you guys come in. Namely, Prince Philip, Prince Eric, Alad… I mean Prince Ali, and The Beast." Kelsey looked up and caught a glimpse of The Beast. Her face fell. She didn't see his furry face or claws. She saw a tall, man with a hooked nose and long dark blonde hair. He was a handsome prince. He had changed. _Rats! _

"You guys defeated the villains in the movies," she said, once again composing herself, "I need you to help me do it again."

There was silence at the table for another moment. Snow White peered closely at Kelsey before asking, "I beg your pardon, Miss Kelsey. But have you been to the Royal Lands before?"

Kelsey cringed, gripping the table cloth tightly. "Once…" she said slowly, with a sheepish look on her face.

"My stars!" her prince cried, "But… you can't be the one who came to The Queen's Kingdom? That would mean the last time I saw you… you were crashing through the window of our palace."

"Well… yes," Kelsey admitted, "That did happen, but I was actually there for a good cause!"

"You stole the mirror!" The prince cried aghast.

"For a good cause!" Kelsey insisted, "Honestly!"

"I thought I recognized you!" Belle cried suddenly, "She crashed into me and took my mirror as well! When I was on my horse!"

"And this is who we're trusting to protect The Kingdom?" The former Beast asked in confusion.

"This does _not _prove that I'm an inept leader," Kelsey insisted, "An inept walker maybe… but…"

"Forgive us, Miss Kelsey," Prince Eric interjected, "We take your warnings very seriously. Really we do, but we can't just throw all hasten to the wind and join you. There are _lives _at stake!"

"I know there are lives at stake!" Kelsey insisted, "I know I may have accidentally done some things that look bad, but I did them with the best of intentions for The Kingdom and The Royal Lands. Won't _someone _believe that?" Kelsey glanced up at the crowd of princesses. "Ariel!" Kelsey cried, "Ariel will speak for me!"

Ariel frowned sadly. Belle reached out and gently touched Kelsey's arm. "I'm sure Ariel would love to speak for you… that is… if she could speak." Ariel gave Kelsey a sheepish look.

"If she could…" Kelsey stared at Ariel in disbelief, "GAH! You didn't? Oh for crying… Ariel, what did I TELL you about messing with sea witches?"

"It would seem that we're all in agreement, Miss Kelsey," Prince Philip interrupted, "We understand that the threat you describe is a very real one, but we must take the time to discuss this and decide the best course of action."

Kelsey struggled not to let out a pent up sigh of frustration. "With all due respect," Kelsey said, "No matter what your answer is, I can't wait around long to hear it. I have many other heroes that I have to contact and The Thirteen is getting more brazen every day."

"Then, we can communicate with you through magic water," Snow White interjected, "I believe that you have a fairy godmother in your employ. My former maid, Sophia. She can make communication possible."

"Yes, that would probably be best," Kelsey grumbled. She had vastly underestimated the political savvy of the princesses. They were pretty, but they were also smart. Unfortunately, their caution was only slowing things down and making arrangements much more difficult.

"Well, now that that's settled," Aurora interrupted, "We can pass the tea and crumpets around." The princesses all heartily agreed. Kelsey flopped back into her chair, feeling drained. This meeting hadn't gone exactly as planned.

While Emma began sneaking cookies and tarts from the tray, Kelsey heard the click of the door open. Jack quietly snuck back in and arrived at Kelsey's side. "How'd it go, love?"

"Let's not talk about it," Kelsey said glumly, "The meeting's over. Let's amscray."

Jack grinned. "You don't want to sit around and socializ…ugh!" Kelsey's hand had lunged out with surprising quickness and her fingers wrapped around Jack's neck. She stared at him with the most powerful glare she had in her arsenal of facial expressions and all the hate she could muster came out in one word. "Jack…"

"Alright, alright!" Jack gasped, "Whatever you want, love." Kelsey got to her feet. She muttered a half-hearted thank you to the princesses before turning to leave the room. Emma trailed behind her and Jack, her pockets bulging full of cookies.

-888-

They moved down the hallway in silence. Kelsey trudged along with a heavy heart while Emma toddled behind with heavy pockets. Kelsey was so absorbed in her own thoughts that she didn't hear someone chasing after her until he called out.

"Hey!"

Kelsey's heart leaped in surprise and she whirled around. Her heart sank when she was who was following her. It was Aladdin and he did not look happy.

"Aladdin," she greeted.

Aladdin nodded stiffly, "I think we need to talk, privately."

"Of course," Kelsey sighed. He was the last person she wanted to talk to, but she realized that she owed him an explanation. The two turned and headed into the flowery gardens. The fresh smell of flowers was a welcome change compared to the salty sea air, but Kelsey felt very little comfort even in a place of such beauty.

"The lamp," Aladdin said bluntly, "Where is it?"

Kelsey cringed, "Well… you see, through a series of events that were completely beyond my control. The lamp and I have… temporarily parted company."

Aladdin stared at her blankly for a few moments before he burst, "YOU LOST IT?"

"I didn't _lose _it," Kelsey retorted, "Not exactly. It was taken from me when my hat was destroyed!"

"I don't believe it!" Aladdin moaned into his hands.

"Look," Kelsey sighed, "There's a benefit for you in defeating The Thirteen. A member of The Thirteen most likely has it. I can't stop them on my own." She looked at Aladdin hopefully, "So… I need your help.

Aladdin scoffed in disbelief, "My help? MY help? You want ME to help YOU? AFTER YOU STOLE THE LAMP FROM ME TWICE?

Kelsey smiled at him sheepishly, "Technically, I only took it _once_… the whelp took it the second time.

Emma perked up at her name. She stopped muching on her goodies long enough to scowl at Kelsey, "Taddle-tale!"

"My gosh!" Aladdin cried staring at her, "How much more damage can you _do_?" Kelsey winced. Aladdin's words struck like a slap across the face. They hurt even more because she knew that they were true. "Whatever plans you have for The Thirteen," Aladdin snapped, "Make sure they don't include me."

"Hold it!" Kelsey snapped. She stood in front of him. "Look," she sighed heavily, "Let me rephrase. You ARE going to help me in this."

"Give me one reason why I should," Aladdin retorted.

"Because I'm not the only one who's done some less than honorable things in order to get a head," Kelsey snapped. Aladdin's face paled a little bit.

"I… don't know what you're talking about," Aladdin insisted awkwardly.

"Riff raff, Street Rat," Kelsey snapped, "I don't buy that."

"Shh!" Aladdin hissed, "Jasmine might hear…"

"That's the idea," Kelsey snapped, "Jasmine might hear a lot of things if you don't help me!"

"Are you blackmailing me?" Aladdin cried. At this point, Emma even looked at Kelsey with shocked and accusing eyes.

"I'm merely obtaining your complete and unwavering support," Kelsey snapped, "We both have a lot to gain and a lot to lose." Kelsey's face softened once she caught sight of Aladdin's worried expression, "I didn't mean to hurt you, Aladdin," she said gently, "Everything I do, I do because I think it's going to help in the long run, and if you help me I'll see to it that you get the lamp back."

Aladdin's face brightened a little bit, "And you'll make no more attempts to steal it?"

Kelsey blushed, "I won't touch the lamp again as long as I live. This I swear by Disney and all the lands of The Kingdom."

Aladdin didn't look quite as hateful as he had a few moments earlier. He looked at her thoughtfully as though mulling it over. Kelsey held out her hand to him, "Do we have an accord?" Aladdin stared at her for a few more seconds. Then, he sighed and shook her hand.

"Deal."

"Good," Kelsey smiled, "Aladdin. I'm sorry. About everything. I didn't intend for things to happen like this."

"I believe you," Aladdin sighed, "And I trust you. I have no other choice. I hope you're able to make things right." Aladdin started to return to the parlor. "I'll try to convince the others to help you, but it won't be easy."

"Please do what you can, Aladdin," Kelsey pleaded, "The Kingdom depends on it!"

"I will," Aladdin said, "I just hope you know what you're doing!"

Kelsey sighed as she watched him go.

"That makes two of us."


	5. Frodo and Darth Vader

**The Great Disney Adventure III: Heroes and Villains**

**A Disney story by talking2myself**

**DISCLAIMER: **See Chapter 1.

**Chapter. 5 Frodo and Darth Vader**

SEVERAL DAYS EARLIER

ABOARD _THE FLYING DUTCHMAN_

Bootstrap Bill's last image of his son consisted of William soaring into a stormy gale on a strange flying vehicle being driven by a strange little woman who swore like a drunken pirate. Unfortunately, she also _drove _like a drunken pirate as well and the vehicle veered crookedly even brushing the white-capped waves as the two faded into the black sky. Overall, it wasn't an image that inspired confidence.

But it was the last time he had seen his son. Will had smiled and offered him a small wave before he left. Because of that, Bootstrap treasured the memory and clung to it desperately. It was the one pleasant thought that he had left.

Since Will and Kelsey had escaped from Aaron's clutches, Davy Jones's loyalties had shifted. Aaron had discarded him and Beckett and a purple haired banshee had taken over. Not that it made much of a difference to him. They still intended to use him for the same purpose. Blackmail.

Bootstrap prayed that they would never catch up to Will long enough for them to attempt their blackmail. He knew that his son had a gentle heart. He didn't think that Will would be able to refuse their demands should they try and threaten Bootstrap's life. Bill shook his head. Will was probably the only man alive who would sacrifice his life to save his twice-cursed pirate father. The same man who had abandoned him and his mother to answer the sea's call. This fact about Will made Bill silently proud of his son and all the more ashamed of himself. His son had become a good man, despite (or perhaps because of) his lack of an upbringing.

It seemed like Bootstrap Bill was at the bottom of a chain of frustration. Beckett was angry. Partly because there was no sign of Kelsey and they were getting closer and closer to Disney Europe. They had abandoned their search around the Caribbean and were making their way across The Ocean looting and plundering as they went. He was also partly angry because of their new recent captive. Beckett had recently captured Elizabeth's father, the governor of Port Royal. However, the governor was proving to be as stubborn as his daughter so they didn't get very far.

He took his anger out on Jones who in turn took it out on Bootstrap (whom he blamed for all their misfortunes) in the form of excess whippings, chores and duties. Because of all the abuse, it seemed that Bootstrap's mind was beginning to go fuzzy. But Bootstrap just clung tighter to that memory of Will and thus survived another day.

Bootstrap sighed as he continued to swab the main deck. He frowned at the memory that surfaced. Another one about Will, but this one wasn't pleasant. He remembered whipping his poor boy. He remembered the way he wailed despite himself. His face was screwed up in pain, struggling to retain his yelps, struggling to stay strong. Bootstrap shook his head again, trying to rid himself of the horrible image. He had more than made up for that. But it still hurt. The thought that he had struck his son when he should have embraced him.

The thought only made Bootstrap scrub faster, trying to scrub it out of his thoughts. At that moment, Bootstrap heard a loud CLANK!. Bootstrap jumped at the noise and peered underneath the bench he was scrubbing. He reached underneath until his fingers came across something. Bootstrap's fingers wrapped around an old oil lamp. Bootstrap examined the old thing in confusion. Somehow it seemed vaguely familiar. Important somehow. Where had he seen it from? Kelsey? Bootstrap's thoughts were scattered and confused. He could have "found" this thing hundreds of times and never realized it. Bill shook his head in frustration, struggling to get his thoughts in line. He shrugged and shoved the lamp into his overcoat. If it was important, he would remember soon and he would have it close at hand.

-888-

PRESENT DAY

ABOARD _THE BLACK PEARL_

Rob leaned over the railing of the ship waiting to catch sight of Kelsey's full pink skirts. Odds were he would hear her swearing way before he saw her. Rob was uncomfortably aware of Jackie standing a short distance away. She was pretending to watch the horizon, but Rob could see her sneaking peeks at him every so often. Rob frowned. He liked Jackie, honestly, he did, but she clearly was still carrying a torch for him_. Jeez! What promises did I make to her as The Prince of Spades? Must have been something good. _Rob cringed at the thought. Rob didn't like the idea that poor Jackie was wilting away without his affection, but Rob couldn't help it. This might be a Disney world, but the heart still wanted what the heart wanted. He was in love with Alice.

Rob tried to put the thought from his mind as he resumed his vigil. He was anxious for his sister, but at the same time he was kind of relieved that she had taken charge. Rob was the youngest in his family. He lived with two older, and very opinionated, sisters, he spent his entire life being bossed around. Some people loved to be a leader and Kelsey did make it look easy at times however reluctant she appeared. Rob, on the other hand, was usually content to sit back and play second fiddle.

Tinkerbell floated around his head, a glowing, twinkling dust mote. The poor fairy was feeling quite neglected lately. She made a frustrated tinkling noise of complaint. "She always takes forever," Rob grumbled, "But I don't think she should rush this sort of thing. Could get messy…"

"I can't believe you did that!"

Rob could hear Emma's wailing as the two wandered up the gangplank. Kelsey was looking pretty glum. She held her pair of shoes in one hand and rob noticed that Jack was giving her a pretty wide berth.

"See," Rob muttered to Tinkerbell, "Told ya."

"It couldn't be avoided, Emma," Kelsey said with frustration, "It's called a necessary evil."

"Only villains do "evil"," Emma scowled.

"Emma!" Kelsey cried in frustration, "Just… trust me. Okay." Emma didn't look at all convinced. She rolled her eyes and heaved a sigh of frustration dramatically before storming off.

Rob watched her go before asking, "How'd it go?"

"Rum!" Kelsey demanded angrily.

"That good huh?" Rob muttered.

"They're "thinking about it"," Kelsey grumbled, "God! The Thirteen could take out the entire Kingdom while they're thinking about it!"

"Well… what good will it do even if they do help us?" Rob asked, "You're recruiting a bunch of pretty boy princes, you hate that type anyway."

"Better than fighting on our own," Kelsey scowled, "And if Aaron asks tell him everything is going according to plan."

"That implies that things are _not _going according to plan."

Kelsey jumped at Aaron's voice as he stepped out of the shadows. Kelsey turned and scowled at him. "That's such a clichéd villain thing," she grumbled, "lurking in the shadows." She swept past him shoving her shoes into Rob's hands. "Who let you out of your cage?"

"Gibbs," Aaron said, "I guess he was tired of listening to me speak."

"Wow, that's surprising," Kelsey grumbled, "Rob, bring these to my room. Jack, go find Sophia and tell her I want my jeans back. I need to get the heck out of this corset as quickly as possible."

"As quickly as possible," Jack commented, "Well, that'll brighten the crew's day. Hope ole Pintel isn't feeling too frisky."

"GO!" Kelsey growled at him.

Rob nodded and turned to do her bidding. He didn't want to mess with her when she was in such a foul mood. He thanked his lucky stars, for the third time that day, that Kelsey had been elected leader and not him.

"So how did it go?" Aaron asked smugly.

"Brilliant," Kelsey snapped, "Couldn't have gone better."

"Oh really?" Aaron responded raising an eyebrow, "You're a terrible liar."

"Yeah, well you suck at telling the truth," Kelsey retorted, "We all have our flaws."

"Ha!" Aaron laughed humorlessly, "I'm honestly trying to save you some time and headache.

"Really?" Kelsey snapped, "Because you're a bigger headache inducer than anything else I've ever come across! Including a ten page book report on Charles Dickens!"

"That's because you're denying your feelings," Aaron snapped, "Deep down inside you know it. You're not a princess… you're not a hero… You're from the real world like me. We're not the Disney heroes…" Aaron leaned in close and offered her a fearsome grin, "We're the villains."

At this point, something inside Kelsey snapped. She shoved him roughly to the ground and stomped on his rib cage. "SHUT UP! GOD JUST SHUT UP ALREADY! I'm so sick of hearing you whine! You are such a cliché! Poor Kid from the wrong side of the tracks hates his life and blames the world. God! You're Darth Vader, but at least he has a cool voice!"

Aaron rolled out of the way before Kelsey could stomp on him again. "You think I'm a cliché?" he snapped, "What about you? You're even worse! Plucky little girl goes against the world. If I'm Darth Vader than you're Frodo Baggins!"

"Damn right I'm Frodo!" Kelsey snapped, "Frodo won in both the movies _and _the books and don't you dare use his name in vain in my presence. That's a cardinal nerd sin!"

"I can't believe I'm witnessing this conversation," Rob groaned, "If either of you mention Captain Kirk I'm jumping off the ship before I get infected with whatever nerd virus you guys are carrying."

Both Aaron and Kelsey whirled around and glared at him.

"Didn't I tell you to go?" Kelsey snapped.

"Right, right," Rob said, "I'm going. I'm going."

Kelsey returned her attention to Aaron, "We are what we are." she said, "And that's that. Call me a villain if you want. I gained a few allies."

Aaron scoffed at her confidently, "Keep telling yourself that."

"Go back to your cell," Kelsey ordered, "Your stretch break is over and you're not getting another one for a LONG time." Aaron scoffed before casually strolling back to the brig. "A little quicker if you please," Kelsey shouted.

"Whatever," Aaron grumbled over his shoulder, still not looking back.

"Later Vader." Kelsey snapped.

"Gotta Go, Frodo," Aaron retorted.

"THAT'S IT!" Kelsey quickly hummed Under the Sea and a blast of water flew from the side of the boat soaking Aaron and knocking him flat. Aaron let out a yelp of surprise and fell to the deck. Kelsey smirked at him floundering on the deck floor. Aaron shot her a glare and struggled to get to his feet with dignity. This completely backfired once he slipped on the water and fell back on the deck. A couple of crew members howled with laughter as he got to his feet and stalked off. As he did, the crew burst into applause.

Kelsey rolled her eyes and barked at them, "What are you staring at? Get back to work! We need to get this thing to Greece posthaste!" The crew members stumbled about, crashing into each other to do their will. Jack shook his head and came to Kelsey's side.

"That make you feel better?" he asked.

"Would it make me a villain if I said yes?" Kelsey asked with venom in her voice.

"No, I'm pretty sure it would make you human," Jack commented.

A large grin spread across Kelsey's face, "Then yes, I enjoyed it immensely."

-888-

Kelsey's next plan was to go to Greece to consult with Hercules. Kelsey was actually looking forwards to the trip. She figured that Hercules was a pretty safe bet. He was one of the most naïve do-gooders she had met in The Kingdom and besides that he owed her. He was one of the few characters who had benefited from Kelsey's meddling. She had helped him defeat the hydra AND get the girl. That was worth him, and his bulging biceps, backing her up and kicking Hades' butt.

She kept this in mind while she dragged her heels to Aaron's cell. Unfortunately, it was her time to serve as guard… and to make matters worse it was her turn to serve as one of the late-night shifts. Once she arrived, Aaron was surprisingly quiet. Apparently, her little scene earlier had severely emasculated him. Gibbs had spent his entire shift laughing at him and reenacting his fall. It was the happiest she had seen Gibbs in weeks.

Because of this, Aaron wasn't talking any more, but that didn't stop him from glaring at her darkly. Kelsey made herself comfortable as she sat near the entrance of the door, The Book of Songs perched in her lap. She licked the tip of her finger and flicked a page carelessly, "If it's a glaring contest you're looking for I think I've gone pro."

Aaron met her gaze for a while. The two stared each other down for few seconds before Kelsey smirked and chuckled low in her throat. For some reason, this infuriated Aaron. He broke his gaze and pointedly turned his back on her, lying on the ground and going to sleep. Kelsey grinned at her small victory.

"Not bad for a hobbit."

Kelsey spent the remainder of the night scanning through The Book and listening to her iPod. With Josh Groban crooning sweetly in her ear, she was occupied for the night. She was convinced that there were probably countless other songs that she could find, but they were out of her hands. She was being chased by two factions of villains and struggling to assemble a massive troupe of heroes to combat said villains. She really didn't have the time for sing-alongs. As she read through the pages, Kelsey discovered more and more journal entries. They were actually quite interesting, but full of dread and impending doom.

_More rumors. This time actual witnesses coming forward. Reported seeing strange black creature on mountain. Details are alarming. I fear the worst. _

_Chernabog. Name that the villagers have given the creature. Means "Black God." Apprentice so nervous he accidentally set curtains on fire. Disappointing setback both for his training and my home._

Kelsey frowned as she turned the page. The name sounded vaguely familiar. It gave her the creeps. She scanned the next paragraph. For once, this page wasn't about a mysterious creature. Instead, it was about spells.

_Spent eight hours in library looking for some sort of "strength spell". Surprised and disappointed not to find any. Must bring this topic up at next Wizard's Circle. Between the rest of us we should find something._

"And that's why people invented steroids," she mused. She reread the line about the Wizard's Circle. Apparently there was more than one magical being in The Kingdom. Kelsey knew that obviously. She had met both Mim and Maleficent and she knew that Merlin was out there somewhere, but she had never imaged that they would all meet together. Kelsey read on to his other spells.

_Curious observation about transformation. Tried transforming spell today. Body changes completely. However, voice does not. Multiple magics are capable of transformation, but all have the same result. Must find a way to change voice in order to make this foolproof. This could be the only surefire thing that keeps my apprentice safe from villains. He is small and an obvious target. Must study harder if he hopes to survive trip to Bald Mountain._

Kelsey scratched her head as she stared at the swirly handwriting. Whoever this master was, she couldn't tell if he loved or hated his tiny apprentice. Kelsey wondered which Disney character he was. She feared for the poor apprentice. His master clearly wanted to protect him with strength and transformation spells, but who could stand against a creature like Chernabog?

"Daddy!"

Kelsey jumped at the cry. For a moment, she thought she was hearing things. Then, she peered over at Aaron. Aaron was no longer lying still, but squirming around in his sleep, crying out in pain, but it wasn't his usual voice. Aaron sounded much younger, and more vulnerable. Honestly, the sight was somewhat disturbing.

"DAD!" Aaron wailed, "Say something!" he implored pitifully, "DO something! Don't let them take me away!"

This was not a sight that Kelsey was prepared for. Nervously, she placed The Book to one side. She inched a few steps closer to him. _Easy Hatter. This is the same guy that you wanted to kick off the boat just a few hours ago. _Aaron squirmed anxiously, panting in fear. Kelsey sighed, disgusted at herself for feeling a familiar twinge of pity for the little twerp.

_What are you doing? Did Luke Skywalker ask if Darth Vader was hurt when he stabbed him with a lightsabre? _

Kelsey ignored the faint, nerdy, voice of reason in her head. Cautiously, like she was petting a small animal, Kelsey reached out stroked his hair back out of his face. The gesture seemed to calm him a little. Aaron drew a deep breath and let it out slowly. Kelsey jerked her hand back at the movement. Aaron's breathing grew heavy and he lay there still again. Kelsey knew that she should scramble back to her corner, blast music into her ears, and try to forget that this entire moment had ever happened. But she couldn't. She stared at Aaron for a few moments.

He looked different in sleep. Less evil somehow. His scowl was gone and he looked somewhat innocent just lying there. Not that Kelsey was fooled. She was convinced that he was still a black-hearted little villain, but perhaps… just perhaps, there was a tiny, _microscopic, _hint of goodness in there too.

Kelsey scowled at her own naiveté. This was a Disney world, but Aaron wasn't from this world and he wasn't going to change overnight no matter how angelic he appeared. She could pity him, understand him maybe, but she could never let her guard down around him. He wasn't a Disney villain, he was a very Real troubled boy. He was dangerous.

But…

"NO!" Kelsey muttered to herself, "No more buts! God! Stupid emotions."

Suddenly, Aaron's eyes snapped open. Kelsey let out a small gasp as he bolted upright and Kelsey scrambled away For a few moments, the two just stared at each other in disbelief and fear. Finally, Aaron found his voice.

"What were you doing?"

"You…" Kelsey stammered, suddenly unable to tear her blue eyes away from his dark ones, "Nightmare." He looked haunted and afraid in the night. A strange sight indeed.

"Leave me alone!" Aaron snarled.

Kelsey sat there awkwardly for a few moments, "Foster care took you away."

"I said LEAVE ME ALONE!" Aaron growled.

Kelsey frowned, "Fine." she inched away from him slowly, but still watching at him.

"And stop looking at me like that!" Aaron snapped.

Kelsey's eyebrow quirked, "Like _what_?"

"Pitying me!" Aaron snapped, "I hate it! I can't stand it."

Kelsey frowned and moved closer to his side. "This," she said pointing to her face, "is not pity. Don't flatter yourself into thinking that I do pity you. This is amazement."

"About what?" Aaron demanded.

"About you." Kelsey snapped, "It's amazing to me that you have been hurt so badly. That you know how it feels to have your life uprooted and yet you STILL want to make others hurt as much as you do." Kelsey's glare was suddenly to hard for Aaron to look at. He turned away quickly. "If that's the case, then you don't deserve pity." Kelsey said coldly.

Aaron stared at her for a moment, but for once he wasn't glaring. He seemed lost in that look, like he had just had a sudden realization and didn't know what to do with it. Kelsey scowled, she wasn't going to hold his hand and walk him down the path to goodness. He would have to find his way on his own.

After that, Kelsey found her way back to her corner and cranked up her iPod until her ear drums were practically blown out by sound.

_Note to self: Find out where my stupid maternal instincts are located and have them surgically removed. They keep getting in the way._

Kelsey spent the remainder of her shift studying The Book and mentally berating herself for losing her nerve. Aaron still kept to his back to her, but he went back to sleep. She was quite relieved when Elizabeth came to relieve her. Kelsey scooped up her things and returned to her own cabin. Rob and Emma were both asleep in their hammocks. She lay there in her own and stared up at the ceiling a long time before falling asleep. Things would get better in the morning, she reasoned. She would be fresh and Aaron would be back to his miserable, plotting self. It would be like this night never happened.


	6. Melly

**The Great Disney Adventure III: Heroes and Villains**

**A Disney story by talking2myself**

**DISCLAIMER**: See Chapter 1.

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **Oh goodness! It has been a LONG time since I updated. Between multiple family functions and my job I have been insanely busy! Thanks for being so patient!

**Chapter. 6 Melly**

THE DARK FOREST

DISNEY ENGLAND

EARLY 1940's

"A colossal waste of time that's what this is!"

Mickey struggled to keep pace with his master, dragging Yen Sid's heavy spell book as the crusty, old wizard continued to rant. His master hated attending Wizard's Circle on a good day and he hated "emergency meetings" even more. However, even Yen Sid couldn't deny that The Kingdom was facing a crisis and that the most powerful, magical beings would be needed to see it resolved.

Wizard's circle was an annual meeting of the most powerful magical beings of The Kingdom. They would all meet together and discuss how they would best use their magical gifts to better The Kingdom. All of the wizards were powerful, but Yen Sid was a touch arrogant and often thought that he outranked the other members of the Circle. He didn't like many of the others and there were some that he flat out didn't trust.

Mickey, on the other hand, used to look forwards to these meetings all year. He loved chatting with the other magical beings, picking up tips, discussing news from all across The Kingdom. However, the atmosphere was very different this time. People were filled with mistrust and fear. Mickey himself was more than a little on edge.

Yen Sid and Mickey made their way up the path into The Dark Forest. Mickey didn't like traveling through The Dark Forest, but he understood the wisdom of holding their meetings there. They had to hold their meetings in secret, now more than ever lest amateurs or evil men discover their magic.

The Dark Forest was always frightening and Mickey's sense of dread just increased as he walked down the darkened pathways. With only the moon filtering down through the dark tree branches to guide them, Mickey often stumbled on his long red robes. Normally, his master would curse at him or call him clumsy, but Yen Sid was so distracted that he barely noticed his clutzy apprentice. Not a good sign. For once, Mickey was secretly hoping for his master to grumble and complain about something other than their meeting just to break the awkward silence of the woods.

A sudden cracking noise caused Mickey to jump and squeal with fright. He dove behind Yen Sid's back. Yen Sid scowled and snapped at his apprentice, "Goodness Mickey! It's just that old coot and his owl!"

Mickey peered out from behind Yen Sid and peered at the blue robed figure coming up the path behind him. Mickey let out a sigh of relief, "You mean Merlin sir."

"Whoever he is," Yen Sid scoffed, "He should learn not to sneak up on folks during these dangerous times."

"Old coot, indeed!" Merlin grumbled as he ambled up to Yen Sid's side, "Why Yen Sid, I'd be willing to bet that you're old enough to be my grandfather!"

"Aye that old and still twice as stealth as you, Merlin," Yen Sid grumbled disagreeably.

"Nice to see you're still in such fine spirits," Merlin muttered before turning to Mickey, "Good day to you, Mickey. Good to see that this old fogey hasn't turned you into a tomato yet."

"Eh… Good day, Mr. Merlin," Mickey said nervously.

"Hmmph," Yen Sid grumbled by way of greeting, "I see you still have that old squawker."

"Hoot hoot! What? What?" the owl sitting on top of Merlin's pointed blue hat suddenly perked up, "Well… at least I'm more practiced at the art of conversation."

"Master just doesn't like to make the journey to Circle," Mickey said quickly.

"The journey OR the meeting," Yen Sid muttered, "I dread this blasted trip every year. And that's when times are _good_."

"Oh come now," Merlin snapped, "Stiff upper lip, my good man. You've got to learn to get along with your fellow magicians. Especially under the circumstances."

"Bah!" Yen Sid scowled, "If that's true then I challenge you to sit next to that witch, Mim for the entire meeting. See how friendly you're feeling _then_."

Merlin narrowed his eyebrows, "I'd have no problem with that Mim if she'd stop trying to one-up me in everything we do. I said "get along", but that doesn't mean you have to _invite _suffering."

The two of them made their way up the path while Mickey trudged along behind them, eavesdropping on their conversation like he was some sort of child. "So I take it you've heard the news?" Merlin asked.

"Yes, yes of course," Yen Sid sighed, "More to the point, I've heard more rumors than I ever want to hear again."

"Agreed," Merlin grumbled, "Some say that half our order has gone rogue."

"That many?" Yen Sid asked.

"Others say more."

"Ridiculous," Yen Sid muttered.

"You don't believe the talk?"

"Oh I believe the talk," Yen Sid snapped, "The whole situation is ridiculous. How does half our Circle suddenly decide to turn evil all at once? It'll take all our remaining members to bring these people to heel. Mickey, keep up!"

Mickey frowned as quickened his pace. He had secretly been praying that the rumors were false. But apparently they were true. Half of the order had separated and were using their magic for dark deeds.

"Hold up one moment, Yen Sid," Merlin ordered suddenly. He held out his cane blocking Yen Sid's path.

"Merlin…" Yen Sid scowled.

"I thought I heard something," Merlin said. Mickey let out a squeak of fear and hurried to Yen Sid's side. A few moments later, two other figures appeared ahead.

"Oh bah!" Yen Sid grumbled, "It's nothing to worry about Merlin. Just Mim and Melena."

"Mim?" Merlin bristled and then groaned, "You think that Mim is nothing to worry about?"

"I'd be far more worried about Melena if I were you," Yen Sid muttered. The two women who appeared in the clearing where most unusual looking. Mim was a stout, plump witch with light violet hair and bright green eyes. One of the uglier hags that attended Wizard's Circle. Melena, on the other hand, was beautiful in a unique sort of way. Her skin was light green. Her dark hair tied back in a black kerchief and she wore long, ragged, black robes. She also carried a long staff with a glowing green opal at the top of it. Her most startling look though, were the two tall black horns that she wore on top of her head even though she claimed to wear them to honor her master.

Mickey knew that Yen Sid was not happy to see the two women. He didn't trust them at all. Melena was The Horned King's apprentice. The Horned King was one of Yen Sid's least favorite colleagues. He was technically a king who ruled over the small country of Pyrdain. Yen Sid never did trust politicians.

Melena was no different. She was only a few years younger than The King, but he had taught her everything that she had learned. Yen Sid put Melena in the same boat as The King even though Mickey constantly told him that it wasn't fair to judge Melena because of her master. Yen Sid would usually scoff.

"The apple never falls too far from the tree. And Melena is a poison apple."

And Mim…

Well, Mim was just a bit too weird to tolerate.

The two weren't really friends. Melena was much closer to Jafar and his companions. Mim followed Melena like a lost duckling. Mim was too crazy to have many friends and far too mad to be trusted with an apprentice like The Horned King or Yen Sid. Because of this, she often tried to get along with the apprentices. Fortunately, she never sought out Mickey, something that Mickey was quite relieved of. Either Mickey was too uninteresting or Yen Sid intimidated her too much. Either way, for once Mickey was happy to be overlooked.

"Why Merlin," Mim greeted them, "I'm amazed to see that you're still alive and kicking. How's the arthritis?"

"I'll show you arthritis," Merlin grumbled reaching for his wand. Yen Sid gripped his wrist.

"We have to learn to get along," he scolded, "Remember." Merlin muttered something unintelligible before hiding his wand in his wide sleeves.

"Master Yen Sid," Melena interrupted as the two magicians were busy glaring at each other. "Have you heard the rumors?"

"I think everyone has by now," Yen Sid said.

"Well, do you think they're true?" Melena demanded.

"I imagine some of them are," Yen Sid answered, "There's usually at least a grain of truth in these things."

"What about the rumor that they're trying to summon a… a monster?" Melena cried.

"Miss Melena!" Yen Sid snapped, "There's no need to panic."

"Then… then you don't think it's true?" Melena asked hopefully.

Yen Sid turned to face her. He could see the fear in Melena's normally brazen eyes. He sighed heavily. Lying to her to make her feel better would not help her in the long run. She could use a dose of fear. "I think that they'll try," Yen Sid admitted, "But it would be incredibly foolhardy if they did."

"Why?" Melena asked.

"Because…" Yen Sid sighed in frustration, "First off, it would take an incredible amount of magic to summon a creature like that. Secondly, once it was summoned they would never be able to control it."

"Hmmph," Melena said, and the fear fled from her eyes for a moment, "They were our most powerful sorcerers that left. You don't think that they could do it?"

Yen Sid narrowed his eyes at her, "No. I don't. And if you're thinking about joining them…"

"Never!" Melena cried aghast.

"… then don't even consider it!" Yen Sid muttered, "If you did join them and try to summon a creature of darkness than you'd suffer the same fate that they do." Yen Sid leaned in closer, "I don't know what that fate is, but I guarantee it will be painful!"

"Yen Sid!" Merlin cried, "We should be heading out! Shift yourself!"

"Very well, very well," Yen Sid muttered, "Come along Mickey.

"Hmmph," Mim grumbled, "Who needs them? Come along, Melly. We should find a good seat."

Melena glared at Mim hatefully, "I despise that nickname, Mim! And my master will find me a seat." With that, Melena took off down the past with Mim chasing behind her. Mickey frowned at the odd pair.

"They'll probably always be like that," he said to Yen Sid, who was not interested. "Melena will lead and Mim will chase after."

-888-

PRESENT DAY

THE DARK FOREST

DISNEY EUROPE

Mim's decrepit house was built in a clearing far away from any other living creature. Her nearest neighbors were Merlin, she would NEVER be so lonely that she would consider visiting him, and the beast in his mighty castle. The house was tiny and decrepit. Its shutters swung in the breeze and the paint had long since peeled away leaving bare walls. The walls were covered in climbing vines almost as though The Dark Forest was trying to reclaim the wooden house for its own.

It was a dump. Mim had no delusions about that, but it was miles away from ANYONE. Including Kelsey, The Thirteen, and most importantly Cutler Beckett. The solitude of her own home was something that Mim needed dearly right now.

Mim's chair was exactly where she had left it. Mim settled into it and looked down at her abandoned solitaire game, just where she had left it. "Ahh," Mim sighed, "Solitaire. What a lovely game."

This was the way life should be lived. Alone. Without others muddling it up. If Melly needed her help then that was too bad for her.

Melly.

Mim frowned at the thought. Most people assumed that Melly was just a shortened version of Maleficent. Most people didn't know that her real name was Melena. Once Maleficent had finished her training she had changed her name to Maleficent. She had dubbed the name Melena "too pretty" for a powerful sorceress like herself.

Mim frowned at the thought of their final Wizard's Circle. After that, the rogue wizards had summoned the monster Chernabog and Yen Sid's predictions had proved true. The brute was too powerful to control. He wiped out not only the rogue wizards, but many members of the Circle. All that remained of the original circle was herself, Maleficent, Merlin, The Good Fairies, Cinderella's Fairy Godmother, The Blue Fairy… and Mickey. If he was still alive. The Fairies were never that powerful and had pretty much settled in the Royal Lands taking care of princesses and wooden puppets. Merlin was still meddling in Disney Europe while Mim did her best to make his life miserable while Maleficent was off with the Thirteen.

"Amazing how we all scattered in the end," Mim mused, "I suppose that I do owe Yen Sid something. After all, he did stop Chernabog… somehow."

Mim shoved aside these thoughts as she slapped a black ace down onto the table. She wasn't going to waste anymore of her time dwelling on the past or the friends she might have had. She was going to live out the rest of her days by herself…

…and she was perfectly okay with that!

-888-

For the first time in ages, Jack found himself relaxing. He sat comfortably with his legs propped up on top of the railing, a bottle of rum clutched his hand. His hat was pulled down over his eyes and the sun was warm on his face. Yes sir, it was a peaceful trip. Kelsey had taken charge and was seeing that all he had to do was point the ship in the right direction. He could finally relax.

…or at least he could if Sophia would stop glaring at him.

Jack peered up from beneath his hat to see Sophia giving him a good, hard look. Jack sighed and sat up. "I give up," he sighed, "What did I do now, poppet?"

"You tell me," Sophia snapped curtly.

"I don't think I did anything," Jack insisted honestly, "Have I given you reason to think otherwise?"

"You're happy and things are going smoothly," Sophia pointed out, "Do I need any more reasons?"

"You cut me to the quick, my dear fairy," Jack said sitting up. "I've been on me best behavior lately."

"Okay…" Sophia said, "Then, why aren't you concerned about sailing? Not afraid of Davey Jones anymore? Or the Krakken who seems to like you so much?"

"Not at all," Jack said.

"And why not?" Sophia asked.

Jack grinned, "What do keys do, love?"

Sophia raised an eyebrow, "Have you been drinking Jack?"

"No," Jack insisted, "Well… yes, but that doesn't have any bearing on this conversation. Answer the question. What do keys do?"

Sophia sighed heavily, "Assuming this isn't a trick question. They unlock things."

"Quite true," Jack agreed, "They unlock things. But if you don't use them. Things remain locked. Things like chests."

"What does this have to do with anything, Jack?" Sophia grumbled.

Jack chuckled and reached into his shirt. He withdrew a long, strange key that twinkled in the sunlight. "Behold," Jack grinned, "The Key to Davey Jones's heart… quite literally."

Sophia gazed at the key in disbelief, "You still have that?"

"Yep," Jack grinned before returning it to his pocket, "As long as I have that, I'm safe as a baby in a basket."

"Hmmph," Sophia scowled, "I wouldn't go that far. Between you and Kelsey I'm sure you'll find some way to get us all killed."

-888-

"Why are you following me?" Rob sighed. Tinkerbell was sitting on his shoulder once again. The little fairy was becoming quite a nuisance. She glowed about his head while he was trying to sleep and often sprinkled fairy dust into his food as she flitted about his plate.

Tinkerbell made a matter-of-fact twinkling noise and Rob turned to scowl at her.

"What do you mean we're both neglected and unimportant?" Rob retorted. Tinkerbell made another musical noise. "No, that does not mean we have to stick together!" Rob retorted, "What are you trying to do? Incite revolution?" Tinkerbell shrugged and made another sound.

"Maybe?" Rob cried, "What do you mean maybe? You better be joking, fairy! One move with a fly swatter and you and your revolution is toast."

At that moment, Kelsey emerged from her cabin one side of the dock while Will brought Aaron up from the brig for his brief period of "exercise". Aaron and Kelsey looked up at each other and immediately they both paled. Kelsey abruptly turned and walked away, burying her face into the pages of The Book of Songs. Aaron also turned around and headed in the opposite direction.

Rob watched this in confusion before he turned to Will. "What just happened here?"

"I'm not sure," Will admitted, "Usually this is the part where those two start taunting each other."

"Weird," Rob said, "I've never known Kelsey to back away from a good verbal smack down."

"Aaron isn't exactly reluctant to engage either," Will said, "Those two have been avoiding each other like the plague all day."

"Oh great," Rob groaned, "This is bad! It's like the Korean War, sometimes its most dangerous when it's silent."

"I'm sure they'll snap out of it sooner or later," Will said, "Preferably sooner."

"Oh really?" Rob asked, "You missed their late night shouting matches?"

Will winced, "On second thought… perhaps a little bit of quiet wouldn't be so bad."

-888-

"Do you have a flower girl yet?"

Elizabeth should have been accustomed to Emma's random and sometimes inappropriate questions. Elizabeth smiled, "No, I'm afraid we don't."

Emma grinned, "Great! Then, it was a good thing that we crashed your wedding and wrecked it!" Elizabeth cringed at Emma's words. The two of them were sitting on the main deck. Elizabeth was struggling to keep the girl occupied by playing a dice game with her. Elizabeth was still sorely disappointed that her wedding had been ruined. Though truthfully Kelsey and Emma weren't responsible for its destruction. Beckett was.

"I could be your flower girl!" Emma suggested brightly.

Elizabeth chuckled, "I don't think so, Emma."

"But…but…" Emma stammered, "I have amazing credentials!"

"Oh really?" Elizabeth smiled.

"Oh yeah," Emma nodded enthusiastically, "I've already been in four different weddings and this is all before age eight. I got the steps down. And trust me," Emma leaned in seriously, "I can do adorable."

"Oh Emma," Elizabeth said with a sigh, "I'm sure you'd be perfect."

"Then, book me!" Emma insisted, "I'm free all this year and I work for cake!"

"I know, Emma…"

"I mean, literally cake. Just give me a piece of your wedding cake. Preferably a flower piece, but that's negotiable. I'm flexible."

"It's not you, little dear," Elizabeth said with a smile. She sighed heavily, "I'm just starting to wonder if I'll ever get married."

Emma peered at Elizabeth, "But I thought Will loved you?"

"He does," Elizabeth said.

"And you love him?"

"Of course, but…"

"Then, what's the problem?" Emma cried.

"It's not always that simple dear," Elizabeth said.

"It's a Disney world! How complicated could things get?" Emma cried.

"You'd be surprised," Elizabeth sighed.

Emma looked like she was going to say something else, but at that moment Kelsey appeared. Her face was buried so closely into The Book she couldn't see where she was going.

"Kelsey, watch out…!" Elizabeth cried.

CRASH!

Kelsey collided into the mizzenmast roughly. Kelsey groaned before rubbing her nose.

"Kelsey… are you...?" Elizabeth hurried to her feet.

"I'm fine!" Kelsey insisted before hurrying down the hallway. A few seconds later, Elizabeth heard another crash followed by Kelsey swearing.

"Kels…?"

"I'm still okay!" she insisted.

Elizabeth shook her head and turned to Emma. "Your cousin's acting very strange."

"Oh that's nothing," Emma said dismissively, "That's how she always reads. You should have seen her when she got the Seventh Harry Potter book."

Elizabeth wasn't entirely convinced, but she nodded and sat down to continue their game. However, Elizabeth was listening for crashes for the rest of the day.


	7. A Plague of Fangirls

**The Great Disney Adventure III: Heroes and Villains**

**A Disney story by talking2myself**

**DISCLAIMER: **See Chapter 1.

**Chapter. 8 A Plague of Fangirls**

THEBES

DISNEY GREECE

PRESENT DAY

"PULL!" Hades roared.

Pain and Panic scrambled to do their master's bidding. They lifted up a heavy Greek urn with Hercules's smiling face painted on it. They heaved it up into the air. The urn spun once before Hades launched a fireball at it, shattering it into pieces.

Meg sat off to the side watching Hades temper tantrum with an amused smile. Hades had been in a very foul mood lately. He had decided to return to Greece and focus his efforts on defeating Hercules since Kelsey was nowhere to be found. Unfortunately, Hades was not succeeding. Hercules was Thebes's newest celebrity. She wasn't sure what annoyed him more. The fact that Hercules was doing so well or the fact that he hadn't found Kelsey. Either way, she knew that he would much rather be cracking their heads together than blowing pots to smithereens.

CRASH! Meg shook her head as broken pieces of pottery rained down on them and Hades's minions struggled to lift another urn. "Nice shooting, Rex," she commented.

"I can't believe this guy!" Hades cried in frustration. "I throw everything I've got at this guy and he doesn't even…" Hades froze suddenly. The only sound that they could hear was a faint squeaking noise. Hades looked down at his minion, Pain. The demon was anxiously rocking back and forth, wearing a new pair of sandals. Hades glared down at him.

"What…are…THOSE?" he demanded.

Pain looked incredibly nervous. The sandals were Air-Hercs. He was in trouble! "Uhm… I don't know," Pain stammered anxiously. "I thought they looked kinda… dashing." He rocked back forth.

Hades drew a deep breath and took a step closer to Pain. His shadow dwarfed his minion, "I've got 24 hours to get rid of this… _bozo_, or the entire scheme I've been setting up… _for 18 years_… goes up in smoke…!" Hades hair was glowing red hot the more he spoke. His eyes were blazing red as he glared at Pain. "and you… are wearing… HIS MERCHANDISE?"

Hades would have pelted Pain down into the ground, but they were interrupted by another noise.

Sluuurrp.

Hades whirled around to glare at his other minion, Panic. Panic was sipping a large cola… with Hercules's face on the bottle. Panic felt Hades's eyes on him. He immediately stopped drinking and chuckled nervously. He timidly offered Hades the bottle, "Thirsty?"

Hades stared at him for a few seconds before letting out a frustrated roar

"ARRRRRGHHHH!"

-888-

It was a beautiful day to be on The Ocean. Jack had to appreciate that, even though they were facing all varieties of chaoes and mayhem. They were still free. Which was all a pirate could ask for. Jack was lounging on his deck, a bottle of rum in one hand. Meanwhile, a short distance away, Emma was still fiddling with dice. He grinned at the child. _Once she masters the game, I'll have to take her gambling. No one would suspect a little tyke like Emma of cheating. _Jack chuckled at the thought and took another sip of rum. _Kelsey would LOVE that._

Jack and Emma were lounging on the deck when they heard a loud BANG! Echo from nearby shore. Jack bolted upright. For a moment, he swore that the entire earth had shook and a volcano had erupted just offshore. Jack looked at his bottle of rum, shook his head and then tossed it over the side of the ship.

"KELSEY!" Emma wailed. She raced to her cousin and clung to the side of her leg. "Did you SEE that?"

"Yeah," Kelsey sighed letting one of her hands drop to Emma's shoulders. "We managed to come visit Greece in the middle of earthquake season. Typical."

"You sure that's what caused it?" Rob asked anxiously gazing at the horizon.

"What else could cause so much at once?" Kelsey asked.

Rob shrugged, "Angry gods?"

"Hmmph," Kelsey remarked, "They'd have to be _pretty _angry."

A few seconds later, Will and Elizabeth emerged on the deck. "What on earth was that?" Elizabeth cried.

"Just a little bit of seismic activity," Kelsey said dismissively, "Nothing to worry about."

"Oh yes," Rob grumbled, "The entire world could erupt in earthquakes. But it's nothing to worry about."

"Not unless, The Thirteen is behind it," Kelsey said, "Mother Nature's got nothing on them."

"So we're all set to go ashore then?" Will asked, still not convinced.

"Yep, ready when you are," Kelsey said, "I must say I'm looking forwards to this meeting. I don't have to wear a ridiculous dress."

"And the prisoner?" Will asked.

"Under lock and key," Kelsey said quickly, nearly cutting Will off.

The others might have been polite enough to not draw attention to Kelsey's uncomforted face, but Rob was not so tactful. "Okay… seriously, what is your problem with him?" Rob asked.

"Do you want the short list or the long?" Kelsey snapped at her brother, warning flaring in her eyes.

"You've been avoiding him like the plague lately…" Rob continued.

"Get ready to disembark!" Kelsey cut Rob off quickly, "Unless you want to stay here and babysit him."

The rest of them watched as Kelsey returned to her cabin to fetch The Book. "She's nuts!" Rob cried, "Even for her!"

"Aaron must have said something to upset her," Elizabeth shrugged.

"Pretty sure he'd be dead if he said anything bad enough to rattle Kelsey," Will pointed out, "This seems like some other sort of concern."

They stood there thinking for a moment before Jack said, "You don't suppose… that… that they…?"

"That they what?" Rob asked. Jack shrugged feebly and made a kissing gesture with his lips.

"That they KISSED?" Will cried, disgust evident all over his face, "That's the most disturbing thing I've ever heard!"

"Just saying…" Jack shrugged.

"STOP saying!" Will insisted, cringing.

Rob had a pained expression on his face, "I'm going to go to my cabin," he said quietly, "I'm going to lock the door, get my video game, and pretend that this whole conversation… NEVER HAPPENED!"

"Agreed," Elizabeth said as she and Will turned to do the same thing.

"Oh jeez!" Jack groaned, "Make ONE suggestion!"

-888-

The crew actually spent one more night on the ship before they arrived in Greece. Meanwhile, Pain and Panic had a night filled with… well… pain and panic, and the next morning Hercules found himself wanting to hop aboard the next ship and sail as far from Thebes as possible.

"I told ya, DON'T MOVE!" the artist snarled. Hercules jumped and immediately resumed his pose. He was posing for yet another piece of pottery. This time he wore a lion skin draped over him, one that bared a strange resemblance to Thirteen member, Scar. Hercules hated the whole idea. He didn't wear lion pelts or use clubs. Besides that, Scar was NOT dead. Hercules didn't like the idea of provoking the Thirteen.

Hercules quickly resumed his pose while Phil continued to rattle off his schedule for the day.

"…D.G.R. Daughters of the Greek Revolution," Phil continued.

"Phil!" Hercules piped.

"And at 3:00, we gotta get a girdle from some amazons," Phil's eyebrows rose up and down at the thought.

"PHIL!" Hercules cried in frustration. "WHAT'S THE POINT?" he flung his club and shield knocking the artist's pot. The artist smudged the picture and let out a wail of frustration.

"IEEEE! That's IT!" he cried, scribbling all over the pot and packing up his supplies.

Phil rolled his eyes, "Keep your toga on pal!"

The artist's response was to bring his palette down on Phil's face before storming off. Phil groaned as his face was covered in paint, making him look very clown like. He groaned before turning to Hercules, "What do you mean what's the point? You want to get to Olympus don't you?"

"Yeah," Hercules admitted, "But this stuff doesn't seem to be getting me anywhere!" He tossed the lion pelt aside in frustration.

"You can't give up! I'm counting on ya!" Phil cried, wiping his face clean with the pelt.

"I gave this everything I had," Hercules sighed.

Phil gazed at his young student sadly before coming to his side. "Listen to me, kid. I seen 'em all. And I am tellin' you - and this is the honest-to-Zeus truth - you got somethin' I never seen before."

Hercules looked up at him and offered him a small smile, "Really?"

"I can feel right down to these stubby bow legs of mine," Phil smiled, "There is _nothing _you can't do kid." He chucked his student's chin playfully. This finally brought a full smile on Hercules's face.

AHHHHHHH!

Suddenly, their touching teacher-student moment was interrupted by the sound of screaming girls. There was a large group of them standing in the doorway... and they were ALL screaming for him. They raced forwards eager to see Hercules. "Easy! Easy!" Phil cried as the girls shoved him aside and tackled Hercules to the ground.

"I touched his elbow!" one girl wailed.

"I GOT HIS SWEATBAND!" Another cried triumphantly as she clung to his shoulders and waved it about. This only caused the girls to crush Hercules to the ground trying to get ahold of the sweatband.

While Hercules was being mobbed by a crowd of girls, he could hear one very distinct voice rising over the others.

"This is ridiculous! Move over! Excuse me! I have an appointment! Yes, I need to see the poor boy you're smothering. Oh for crying…! THAT DOES IT!"

In the next second, he heard someone hum a tune tersely and a blast of water hit Hercules and the girls sending them flying. Hercules managed to untangle himself from the pile as he caught a glimpse of his visitor. Kelsey was standing there glaring at the girls. She handed The Book to Emma as she shook her head.

"If there's one thing that I hate more than princesses, it's fan girls!" she scowled.

"Kelsey!" he yelped.

"Kid!" Phil cried, "Escape plan beta!"

"Gotcha!" Hercules replied.

Phil quickly scurried to the door where Kelsey stood and blew a quick whistle. The girls glanced up and Hercules was gone. "Hey! Where'd he go?" one cried.

"There he goes on the veranda!" Phil cried.

The girls screamed and turned directions. They charged out, sweeping up Emma and Kelsey with them. "HEY!" Kelsey roared, "WAIT UP! STOP!"

"Put me down! Put me down!" Emma yelped, "Kelsey! What do I do?"

"Just play dead!" Kelsey yelled back, "They can smell fear!"

Phil jumped as soon as he realized it was Kelsey. "Kid!" he cried, "Hold on! I'll help you! Try not to get trampled until I get there!"

As he ran after the mob, a figure closed the door behind them. Megara. She searched the room making sure that there was no one there. Then, she spied Hercules's toes sticking out from a curtain. She smirked as she made her way over to him.

"Let's see… what could be behind curtain number one?" she asked with a game show host bravado.

"Meg!" he cried in surprise.

"It's alright," Meg smiled, "The sea of raging hormones has ebbed."

"Gee, it's great to see you," Hercules smiled sheepishly, "I missed you."

"So this is what heroes do on their days off?" Meg asked as she lounged on one of Hercules's sofas and examined the numerous toys based off him.

"I am no hero…" Hercules said modestly.

"Sure you are," Meg said examining a pot, "Everybody in Greece thinks you're the greatest thing since they put the pocket in pita."

Hercules chuckled, but both jumped as they heard the door open again.

"Will's gonna be mad when he finds out that you shot sparks at the fan girls," Emma was telling Kelsey reproachfully.

"That's why we're not gonna tell Will," Kelsey snapped as she dusted off her clothes. "Besides, those idiots are lucky I didn't resort to fireballs." She quickly took back The Book from Emma. She looked it over making sure it was still in one piece.

At that moment, Kelsey caught sight of Meg. "Oh!" she cried, "I'm not… _interrupting _anything… am I?" Her final words sounded more like an accusation than she had intended.

"Kelsey!" Hercules cried hurrying to her side, "This is the best day ever"

"Yeah, maybe for you," Kelsey retorted. Hercules hugged her tightly. "Herc..Herc! AIR!" Hercules immediately released Kelsey and set her back down.

"Sorry about that," he said.

"No problem," Kelsey said massaging her sore neck, "I need your help."

"My help?" Hercules asked.

"Yes," Kelsey said, "I'm assembling a team to take out the local villain coalition in The Kingdom."

"The Thirteen?" Hercules frowned.

"You've heard of them?" Kelsey asked.

"Of course," Hercules said, "Most of the monsters I defeat were sent by them."

"I believe that," Kelsey frowned, "Hades is one of them, which is why I need you to take him out."

"Do you want me to come with you?" Hercules asked, "I could probably lend a hand." Meg jumped at the thought of Hercules leaving too soon.

Kelsey thought about it for a moment before shaking her head, "No. I need some sort of plan first. I can't just attack all willy-nilly. I don't want to upset the plotlines too much. After all, if you leave, Hades will know we're up to something and strike us down. Just be prepared to help if I need it."

"Of course," Hercules insisted, "It must have been a long journey for you. Won't you stay in the villa for a few nights?"

"I'd like to," Kelsey admitted, "But we have a very strict time schedule. I need to get to England. Someone there must know how to take out, Cruella. Besides," she glanced at Meg with a knowing smile. "You seem a little busy."

"I haven't done anything wrong," Meg insisted.

"Of course," Kelsey said, "Because if you did, you would have to answer to me. And you wouldn't like that."

Meg scoffed at the threat, "Should I be afraid?"

"Why don't you go ask those fan girls what I'm capable of?" Kelsey smiled. "Relax, I set you two up to begin with. Remember?" Hercules blushed and Meg looked away anxiously.

"Now, if you'll excuse me, Herc," Kelsey said, "It's lovely to see you, but I must go collect the rest of my crew. They're busy playing tourist."

"You're sure you can't stay longer?" Hercules asked in disappointment, "Maybe check out the souvenir stands?"

"KELSEY!" they heard Emma cry out, "They have Hercules dolls! You need to buy me one!"

"They're action figures, Emma," Rob grumbled.

"Same thing," Emma shrugged.

"Are not!"

"What's the difference?"

"One's not girly and has the potential to be sold for millions of dollars!"

"Wow, you action figure guys are really getting ripped off huh?" Emma piped. Kelsey heard Rob groan outloud.

Kelsey shook her head before turning to Hercules, "I wish we could stay longer, but I need to get going." She smiled at Hercules, "Thanks for all your help. You have no idea how much it means to me right now."

"Of course," Hercules smiled, "If you need anything just call."

Kelsey beamed, "Thanks. Now, we really must be on our way." Kelsey turned and headed outside. "Emma!" she yelled, "What do you need a Hercules doll for? You've seen the real thing!"

"Action figure!" Rob retorted.

"Same difference, Rob!" Kelsey rolled her eyes.

"Is NOT!"

-888-

As Kelsey and the rest of her party turned to leave, Hercules chuckled, "It's crazy," he said to Meg, "I can't go anywhere without getting mobbed."

"Ah, you sound like you need a break," Meg said, picking up an action figure of Phil. "You think your nanny goat would go…" She squeezed the action figure and the eyes popped out. "Berserk if you played hookie this afternoon?"

"Oh gee," Hercules said anxiously, "Phil's got the rest of the day pretty much booked."

"Oh Phil Schmil," Meg whined, "Just follow me. Out the window, round the dumbbells, you lift up the back wall and we're gone!"

-888-

Later that evening, Meg waited in the gardens of Thebes for her boss. She frowned as she clutched a white flower anxiously. The plan had suddenly changed. She had taken Hercules on the date with the intention of discovering his weaknesses. Unfortunately, when the moment happened, she couldn't do it.

A year before, Meg had met Kelsey for the first time. She had eagerly encouraged her to start a relationship with Hercules. At first, Meg had dismissed her suggestions as foolish, but now she was beginning to see what Kelsey had seen. He had been such a good person during their date. He was charming. He was a sweet genuine guy. And she needed to protect him.

Suddenly, the gardens shook as Hades emerged from a statue. "Hey what's the buzz huh Meg?" he smiled. "What's the weak link in Wonderboy's chain?"

"Get yourself another girl!" Meg snapped, "We're through."

Hades stared at her in disbelief, "I'm sorry. Do you mind running that by me again? I must have had a chunk of brimstone wedged in my ear or something…"

"Then, read my lips!" Meg yelled, "Forget. It."

"Meg, Meg, Meg, my sweet deluded little minion," Hades said with a falsely sweet smile, "Aren't we forgetting one teensy-weensy, but ever so crucial little, tiny detail?" He clutched her chin and then burst into flames. "I OWN YOU!"

Meg had to think quickly. "But I did find something else out…"

"Oh yeah?" Hades asked.

Meg paused for a moment. She didn't really want any danger to befall Kelsey, but if there was a chance that she could distract Hades away from Hercules for even a few moments, she had to take it.

"I know where Kelsey is," she said softly, "And I know where she's going."


	8. PUPPIES!

**The Great Disney Adventure III: Heroes and Villains**

**A Disney story by talking2myself**

**DISCLAIMER: **See Chapter 1.

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **Hello everyone! So much news, I'm not sure where to begin. First off, I have redone my homepage and posted another poll on it. The same as last time. Should I continue this series and write a fourth book? Please vote because it will ultimately affect the ending of this story as well as the future of this series.

Also I have been throwing around the idea of rewriting parts of The Great Disney Adventure. I would keep the plotline the same, but I would be editing the first book and possibly adding more description and dialogue. Because I originally intended that story to be a one shot the first couple chapters are a little bit bare compared to the rest of the series and I believe that tweaking it will allow me to get more readers. It's not necessary to reread any of it, but if you're curious check my profile page for updates. Thanks a lot!

**Chapter. 9 **PUPPIES!

"You're certain of this?" Scar cried.

Hades glared at him irritably, "Yes, but by all means, _please _question my knowledge again. I enjoyed it so much the first THREE TIMES!"

Hades was communicating with the other Thirteen members via magic water, a practice that Hades absolutely despised. These teleconferences were responsible for many of Hades's bad hair days. Hades was sitting on a throne staring into many different urns filled with water.

"I don't see what we're sitting around for," Yzma snapped irritably causing the water in her pot to ripple, "Send someone after them." She turned to face Hades, "You're the closest. Fire up your chariot and take them down!"

"Ya know, why don't we just imagine something for a moment," Hades said tersely, "What if, hypothetically, you had _plans _for twenty-four hours. Say, the _next _twenty four hours? Let's say that these plans took a considerable amount of time to put together. Oh something to the tune of say… _eighteen years_, WOULD YOU THROW THEM ALL AWAY TO GO CHASING AFTER SOME YUTZ WITH NOTHING MORE THAN A BOAT AND A BOOK?" Hades had flared bright red causing Pain and Panic to dive for cover and the pots to rattle and spill.

Yzma sniffed indignantly, completely unfazed by Hades's temper. "That 'yutz' as you so crudely put it, has bested you on more than one occasion. I would think that you would put the goals of the Thirteen before your own petty little concerns."

"So I should throw away all my grand plans to show a little team spirit?" Hades snarled, "Sure, I suppose I could catch the next time the planets aline. Let's see… that will be… 10,000 YEARS FROM NOW!"

"Your own plans won't even be necessary if our plan works out!" Yzma snapped.

"What about the cannons on that ship?" Hades retorted, "Did we forget about them so quickly? Whatever you may say, I'm NOT going on this one, Wrinkles."

Yzma glared at him indignantly. The other members of the meeting heard a loud slapping noise as Yzma struck Kronk who was snickering in the background.

"Unfortunately, you're both right," Rourke sighed. He was the only other Thirteen member who was in Hades's lair. He had been living there since the god of the dead had revived him. The crystallized man was regarded as a monster now and had very little else to go. "Hades can't go track them down this time, but Yzma is right. We have to send someone… and now that Jones is on Cutler's payroll we have no ship."

"A ship?" Ursula chuckled low, "A ship, how quaint. How quickly we forget ladies and gentlemen. They're traveling on The Ocean." She leaned forwards and grinned wickedly, "That's MY domain.

-888-

Rob looked up from the yellowed piece of parchment that he was reading. Kelsey had the helm and Rob was playing the role of navigator. Not something that he did with great relish. Jack's maps were old and outdated and the pirate had scribbled words all over it making it difficult to find their route. Words like, _GOLD HERE _and _SOLDIERS, NATIVES_ and possibly the most fearful, _WOMEN WHO STILL REMEMBER ME_.

"Why are we doing this?" Rob demanded.

"Because," Kelsey said not bothering to take her eyes from the horizon, "Cruella De Ville is from London. If anyone knows how to stop her it's there."

Emma sat a short distance away. She was examining Jack's dice again. She found it odd that they always landed on 7's no matter how many times she rolled them. She looked up at her cousin with wide eyes. "And there's puppies, Rob! PUPPIES!"

Rob rolled his eyes, "I _meant_, why are we even bothering going to London? Cruella is fairly harmless and what are the dogs going to be able to do? Bark at them?"

"There's a hundred and one of them," Kelsey pointed out, "If nothing else, we'll have the numbers on our side."

Rob huffed a mighty sigh. Emma looked up at Rob earnestly, "I'm telling ya, Rob. PUPPIES!"

-888-

The journey to England was mercifully short, which was a good thing since cabin fever seemed to be spreading like wildfire. When the crew members weren't doing their chores, they desperately struggled to find new ways to relieve boredom. Most of the crew had found something to do. Rob played his videogames. Jack was training Emma to be a dice expert (when Kelsey wasn't looking). Kelsey spent most of her time studying The Book… and avoiding Aaron. Will and Elizabeth were making half-hearted wedding plans, though Elizabeth couldn't seem to get the sad, hopeless look out of her eyes no matter how hard Will tried. The crew members fed their gambling addictions by betting on anything and everything. How fast a crew member could wolf down a tankard, how many times Kelsey would swear before noon, whether it was possible for Ragetti to shoot a target blindfolded, (Kelsey quickly put a stop to that one). And Sophia cleaned, everything and everyone on the ship.

In fact, the only two people who had nothing to do were Alice and Jackie. The two spent much of their time in the cabin that they shared with Sophia. The time was more awkward than either could have predicted. Both of them were stealing glances at the other as they struggled to work on their needlepoints. The two girls had rarely spent much time together alone. Usually they were in the company of Sophia or Rob. Now that they were at sea, it seemed as though the giant elephant in the cabin wasn't going anywhere. Finally, Alice sighed and let her needlepoint drop into her lap.

"I'm sorry, Lady Jaqueline," she said, "I want to be friends with you. Truly I do… but…" she sighed.

"It's hard," Jackie agreed quietly, "W-w-we b-b-both see each other as the other w-w-woman."

"I guess we do," Alice said with a sigh. For a moment, the two of them sat there in silence. Alice broke first. "I love him, Jackie."

Jackie frowned and concentrated on her needlepoint, "I know. I d-d-do too. I was engaged to h-h-him. We w-w-were g-g-gonna spend our whole l-l-life together." She paused for a moment and her voice was thick with longing. "I was gonna be happy."

"You can still be happy," Alice pointed out, "Without him."

"I d-d-don't think that those t-t-two things can happen at the same t-t-time," Jackie pointed out sadly.

"Jackie, I want you to be happy," Alice said, "But I'm not going to hand him over to you just to make you happy. He's _mine_!"

"B-b-but he was m-m-mine first!" Jackie snapped angrily.

"You fell in love with the Prince of Spades," Alice retorted, "I've always loved Rob." The two of them glared at each other in terse silence. Silence which was broken as Kelsey stomped into the cabin, looking very cross.

She stood there with her hands on her hips, "So my brother's a ladykiller now? What next? Josh Groban singing rap music? Hades joining a convent?"

The two girls wouldn't look at each other for a moment. Both studied the floor intently. "Nothing to say now?" Kelsey asked, "Good. Because I have something to say. Whatever sick fascination you two have with my brother, I don't care about it! We can deal with this after The Thirteen is defeated. If you need to talk then, talk. If you need to get into a cage and have a no-holds barred kickboxing match." Kelsey paused for a moment, "Disturbing image." She continued, "Then, you can make it so! But right now, I need a united team. I'm not gonna let the Thirteen walk all over us because you're fighting over a stupid boy. Especially when that stupid boy is Rob! I don't want to see the crew members walking around in Team Jackie and Team Alice shirts! Am I clear?"

Jackie and Alice nodded sullenly. "Good," Kelsey said, "I came down here to tell you that we're almost ready to go ashore. I can see London on the horizon." She turned and swept out of the room, muttering to herself. "I can't believe it. What a world! We're on the same boat as Orlando Bloom and Johnny Depp… and they're fighting over ROB!"

After she left, the room was filled with awkward silence. Finally, Alice sighed heavily and offered Jackie her hand, "Truce?"

Jackie sighed and offered her hand, "T-t-truce."

Alice sighed as their hands clutched each other. "This… this doesn't feel like we've resolved anything."

Jackie shrugged, "B-b-because we haven't. I still l-l-love Rob. So do you. We

c-c-can't help how we feel."

"Jackie," Alice sighed.

"You d-d-don't have to w-w-worry about m-m-me," Jackie insisted, "I w-w-won't steal him away from you. You m-m-make him happy. I just w-w-wish I could b-b-be the one." Jackie flicked tears away from her eyes and quickly made her way to the upper decks leaving a helpless Alice standing there.

-888-

According to Jack, there were actually THREE unique Londons in Disney Europe. The first was referred to as Old London. This featured an Animated version of London from the 1700-1800s. The second was New London. New London looked very similar to London in her world, Kelsey thought. She couldn't be certain since she hadn't actually _been _to London, but she recognized the double decker buses and Big Ben towering above them. Lastly, there was Unreal London which was located nearby and featured the live action characters of 101 Dalmations, the remake.

Kelsey was quite enchanted by the sight of New London. It wasn't completely modern. That was obvious by the way people were dressed. It appeared to be set in the time of the original 101 Dalmations. She couldn't help but admire the many flats that decorated the streets. Several of them were near a large park, where Kelsey could see people walking their dogs. Overall, it was quiet and peaceful and if things weren't so dire, Kelsey could have spent an entire week exploring the city

However, this was not allowed. She had to focus on more important things, like finding Pongo and Perdita. Given the location, she decided to leave Jack and the other pirates on the ship. She wanted to pass through these locations relatively unnoticed. It would be hard to do that with Jack in tow. She opted instead to take the most normal looking people on the ship. Herself, Emma and Rob.

-888-

"I'M KING OF THE WORLD!"

Kelsey rolled her eyes at her cousin, "Emma come sit down before you break your neck."

Emma stood on the top level of a double decker bus with her arms stretched out wide. She pouted at her cousin. "I am the King of the World and do not take orders from _mortals_!"

Kelsey looked over her glasses and gave her cousin a powerful glare. "Ya wanna run that by me again, kid?"

Emma wilted instantly beneath her cousin's glare. "I said, I'm coming Kelsey," she said sheepishly. She made her way back to where Kelsey and Rob were sitting.

Kelsey smiled triumphantly, "That's what I thought you said."

"Some King of the World," Rob scoffed, "OWW!"

Emma had kicked him hard in the shin as she walked past him on the way back to her seat. Rob robbed his leg as he looked up at Kelsey, "Did you see that?"

"Sure did," Kelsey said before smirking at Emma, "Nice aim."

"Thanks," Emma grinned wickedly, "I'm short, but I work with what I got."

Rob rolled his eyes at the two girls, "Who do you plan on addressing? The dogs or their masters?"

"I'm not entirely sure," Kelsey shrugged, "We'll see once we arrive. I figure that if I can talk to fish and monkeys, I can talk to dogs."

"What do you plan on telling them?" Rob demanded, "Hello, would you and your children care to help us defeat a group of heartless villains? Oh and did I mention that one of them wants to skin your children and wear them as a coat?"

"And this is why _I_ will handle the talking," Kelsey said as she rolled her eyes.

At that moment, the bus came to a stop. "Here we are," Kelsey said getting to her feet. "Let's go guys." The three of them unloaded off the bus in front of a surprisingly small flat.

"Geez," Rob cried, "This is such a small place! Noah probably had an easier time fitting two of everything on the ark."

"Definitely not the best place for 101 of anything," Kelsey admitted, "Particularly…"

"PUPPIES!" Emma squealed suddenly. With that Emma tore forwards into the small backyard behind the flat.

"Emma!" Rob and Kelsey cried chasing after the girl. The two of them skidded to a halt as they caught sight of the yard. It was filled with tiny black and white puppies. They were yipping and running about happily. In the midst of all this, Emma was sitting in the yard surrounded by several puppies who were licking her face and jumping into her lap.

"Puppies! Puppies! Puppies!" Emma squealed happily as they leapt about her. "Kelsey…?"

"No!" Kelsey said quickly.

"But you didn't even let me finish asking…"

"No."

"You don't even know what I'm going to…"

"No."

"But how do you even know what I…"

"We're not keeping any puppies Emma," Kelsey declared.

"But I'd take good care of it!" Emma insisted.

"Come on," Kelsey said pulling Emma out of the literal dog pile, "We need to go find Pongo and Perdie."

Emma pouted but followed her cousin towards the backdoor to the house. It was unlocked. Clearly, this was the sort of neighborhood where one never had to worry about any trouble. Kelsey frowned, this thinking had probably made it easy for Cruella's goons, Horace and Jasper to make it inside the house. At first, Kelsey didn't see any sign of either Pongo or Perdita or their owners Roger and Anita. All she saw was a sea of black and white spots. "Okay," she said, "We're gonna have to search this place. Rob, you take upstairs I'll take down. Emma…" Kelsey looked down and let out a sigh, "Go play with the puppies."

"PUPPIES!" Emma yelled rushing back to the others.

Rob struggled to step around several dogs as he made his way upstairs. Meanwhile, Kelsey made her way into the kitchen. Puppies were all over the floor making it difficult to maneuver. Kelsey managed to move across the room, but she saw no sign of Pongo or Perdita. She gently pushed open the kitchen door and entered the living room.

She stood there peering around the door. She could hear the TV playing and when she looked inside, she saw several puppies sitting around the TV watching their favorite show, Thunderbolt. Sitting amongst the puppies, were Pongo and Perdita.

The two dogs were snuggling together. They sat curled up together surrounded by their children and newly adopted puppies. They looked so peaceful and content. They had their family together and safe and their only concern was watching their favorite TV show. The two shuffled and gave each other loving glances before returning their attention to the TV show. Even if they were animated animals, they were as deep and loving characters as any actor she had seen.

As she watched, Kelsey felt a horrible, sickly feeling in her stomach. What am I doing? I'm going to take them away from all this? After they've finally gotten their family safe and protected? After they got their happy ending?

Kelsey watched them for a few moments and then sighed heavily. "Crap!" She closed the door quietly before making her way back to the front entrance. At that moment, Rob was carefully making his way back down the steps.

"No one upstairs," he said with a sigh.

"I found them," Kelsey said glumly.

"Oh," Rob said sounding mildly surprised, "What did they say?"

"Nothing," Kelsey said, "We're leaving."

Rob stared at Kelsey blankly, "What?"

"I can't ask them to go on this mission," Kelsey sighed, "I'm not endangering innocent puppies."

"That's what I said to begin with!" Rob cried, "What the hell? Is it only a good idea if you think you came up with it?"

Kelsey shrugged, "Yeah, pretty much." She turned and called out, "Emma! Come on, we're leaving."

"Awww!" Emma groaned as she untangled herself from the puppies.

"This was such a waste of time!" Rob groaned, "After coming all the way to England? Seriously, you choose now of all times to change your mind?"

"Keep it up and I'll leave you in England," Kelsey snapped. As she spoke, Emma made her way over to the front door. Kelsey rolled her eyes, "Put it back, Emma."

"Put what back?" Emma asked innocently.

"Either you've suddenly sprouted a tail or you've hidden a puppy in the back of your shirt."

Emma looked down at the spotted tail poking out from underneath her t-shirt. "I've sprouted a tail before," Emma said hopefully.

"There are no sea witches around this time, Emma," Kelsey said, "Put it back."

"Aww," Emma groaned before removing the dog, "But I promised I'd show him The Ocean."

"Emma!" Kelsey snapped.

"Ooookay," Emma sighed heavily before returning the puppy to the pile.

Kelsey rubbed her temples with a heavy sigh. "We better return to the ship. Come on Rob, next stop is Peru."

"Yeah, I guess," Rob grumbled as they exited the flat, "But Peru's a lot further away. No changing your mind this time."


	9. Expect the Worst

**The Great Disney Adventure III: Heroes and Villains**

**A Disney story by talking2myself**

**DISCLAIMER: **See Chapter 1.

Chapter. 10 Expect the Worst

Aaron couldn't help but overhear the crew members grumble as they moved about readying their ship to leave. Since he was still technically a prisoner, he had very little entertainment options beyond eavesdropping. Aaron had the crew member's daily routine somewhat memorized by the sounds they made as they did their chores. He knew that a sudden stampeding noise meant meal times and the soft, reluctant, shuffling noises meant morning chores. The raucous singing and snoring sounds would mean evening.

He could tell crew members apart from a distance. He could identify the quick light steps of Kelsey's tennis shoes, the click of Sophia's heels, the strange rhythmic way that Jack scurried across the deck (more prancing than walking), the solid sounds of Will's long strides.

He had to admit the sudden stomping of boots and barking voices did catch him a little bit off guard. He had predicted that they would be spending more time in New London than they had. They had only dropped anchor a few hours before. The crew wouldn't have had time to even restock supplies. Granted, The Pearl was pretty well stocked and most of the men could survive on apples and rum in a pinch, but spending that many days away from shore, drink, and women wasn't very good for morale. If Kelsey didn't know that, Jack did. Clearly their leader was wasting no time when it came to their mission, and from what Aaron could hear, not all the men were happy about it.

Aaron sat with his ear pressed to the door listening intently to the sounds outside. He could hear voices. Gibbs. Pintel and Ragetti. He closed his eyes struggling to block off all his other senses and focused only on what he could hear.

"I'll never get me land legs back at the rate we're going! I can barely remember what land _looks _like! Being squirreled away below deck all the time."

"You can barely remember breakfast, Pintel! And I'd think you'd be accustomed to being "squirreled away". Your mama probably kept you hidden in a cellar so she wouldn't have to put up with your infernal whining!"

"But it's true sir! We been putting up with the pace something awful for the past few days. Not very proper for a crew to working so much. We could at least get Sundays off to offer worship."

"He's right! Not proper at all! I'm thinking I'm getting awful tired of all this working-"

"_I'm_ thinking I'm getting awful tired of all this thinking! You're not supposed to think! You're supposed to work, now hop to it!"

Aaron heard a faint grumble and the defeated shuffle of Pintel and Raggetti as they shrugged off to do their duties. Seconds later, Gibbs followed them. Aaron knew Gibbs's footsteps as well as any of the other crew members and he couldn't help but notice that he too was moving slower than usual. He was defending Kelsey, but clearly he also agreed with the others.

-888-

"They're going to mutiny on us!"

"No they won't!"

Will sat in the cabin uncomfortably, Elizabeth at his side. Kelsey and Rob had been bickering ever since they returned from London. Will placed all his trust in Kelsey, but he and the rest of the crew were somewhat discouraged by the visit. Rob was the most vocal about the less than successful venture. He frowned as he watched Rob pace the cabin, a trait that he had doubtlessly picked up from his elder sister over the years.

"They've done it before!" Rob said anxiously.

"And they got themselves cursed in the process," Kelsey responded coolly, "That'll make them think twice before trying it again."

"There's no Aztec gold involved this time, Kels," Rob snapped, "They'll know exactly what to do!"

Will pressed his hand to his forehead and let out a sigh. This talk of mutiny was not encouraging and crew morale was already low. He felt Elizabeth's hand reach out and caress his lovingly. For a moment, some of the tension seemed to leave. He lifted his head and offered her a brief smile before gripping her hand back.

"I know we're moving quickly, but we don't have a choice!" Kelsey sighed, "Who knows what The Thirteen could be up to?"

"Doesn't matter if we're too tired to fight 'em!" Rob cried.

"Do you want to take over this mission since you seem to know so much?" Kelsey snapped angrily.

"Guys!" Sophia interrupted, stepping between the two. "You're not helping the situation!" She turned to Rob, "It's true, the crew needs a break. However, in case you haven't noticed, we are currently in the middle of The Ocean. We're already pretty far from New London. If we turn around it'll be nightfall before we make it to New London. All the inns will be closed and we'll STILL be stuck on the ship, only further away from our goal. I think our best option is to press on."

"HA!" Kelsey snapped triumphantly.

Sophia eyed Kelsey over her golden spectacles, "BUT we should take a few days to rest once we arrive in Peru."

Rob smirked at Kelsey. Kelsey scowled, "Fine. But we have to get there first. Alert the crew, quicker to Peru, quicker to rest! See if that won't put a spring in their step."

"It'll be a long trip," Will sighed glumly, "We best pray that they don't burn out before we come to land."

"Land can be a powerful motivation," Kelsey said, "…And when that fails we break out Jack's good liquor."

At that moment, Jack burst into the cabin. "Love, we need to speak," he said.

"Eerie isn't it?" Rob cried, "It's like he's got spider senses or something! Rum senses!"

"What about me rum?" Jack demanded.

"Nothing," Elizabeth answered for Rob, "What is it you needed to say, Jack?"

"We've spotted a ship," Jack said, "And a damn flowery looking one at that."

-888-

Seconds later, Kelsey stood on the deck; peering out at the horizon with her spyglass. Sure enough, Kelsey spotted the ship. She would have to blind not to. The boat was impossible to miss. It appeared to be some sort of barge and it was covered in decorations. Pink streamers and ribbons fluttered in the breeze. It was about as subtle as Jack in a church. Kelsey frowned, "A floating wedding."

Jack chuckled merrily, "I love weddings! Drinks all around!"

"We weren't invited!" Kelsey said.

"Didn't stop _you_ before, love," Jack pointed out with a grin.

Kelsey elbowed him sharply before returning her attention to the barge. "What are they doing so far from shore? That boat isn't meant for long journeys."

"Maybe they've realized that and they're returning home?" Elizabeth offered.

"It doesn't look like they're moving at all," Kelsey said, concern coming into her voice.

"They're probably fine," Will said, "You were the one in a hurry remember?"

"Yes…" Kelsey said anxiously.

Will let out a heavy sigh, "I'll get The Spirit ready. Something tells me we'll need it."

"My dear William," Kelsey grinned, "How I lived without you all these years I'll never know."

"And now she's quoting Sweeney Todd," Rob groaned, "God! get me off this floating psycho ward!"

-888-

A few minutes later, Kelsey, Jack, Rob and Will had were flying The Spirit over to the deck of the other ship. A few people caught sight of her and dove behind the tables quickly.

"Hey! What the heck?" Kelsey cried, "I come in peace! Take me to your leader!" She climbed down off The Spirit and looked around in confusion. "Why did they run away?"

"Perhaps they heard about your reputation for crashing weddings?" Will said as he joined her on the deck.

"Geez, you're never gonna let that go are you?" Kelsey sighed rolling her eyes, "For the record, you got yourself arrested _before _I showed up…"

"What the heck happened here?" Rob cried examining the scene. One of the railings of the barge was completely broken, like something heavy had gone overboard. "Whoa! This must have been the craziest wedding in world history!"

"What's that?" Will asked pointing to something near the railing. It was small and glittered in the sunlight. Kelsey knelt down and picked up the object. She examined it quickly. It appeared to be a small golden shell and it was tied to a black tie like someone had worn it as a necklace. Kelsey recognized it instantly.

"Shit!" she swore, "This…this is not good!" she said urgently.

"What is it?" Will asked, his hand unconsciously going to his sword.

"You see this!" Kelsey said, dangling the necklace from her fingers. "This belongs to Ursula."

Will's eyes widened in panic and he shifted around looking as though the sea witch would appear out from behind some corner. "Listen very carefully, you guys," Kelsey said in a deathly serious voice, "We need to get out of here. Take The Spirit and get back to The Pearl. Batten down the hatches and try to get as far away from here as possible. Things are gonna get really ugly in a few moments and we don't have the strength to fight back."

"While you do what exactly?" Rob demanded.

"I'm going to find Prince Eric and make sure that he's alright," Kelsey said, "It's _his _wedding. He's still on this ship somewhere and he's most likely going to try and take on Ursula."

"I'm not just going to leave you here!" Rob retorted angrily.

"Me neither," Will agreed.

"We don't have time for this! I'll be there in a moment!" Kelsey snapped, "We have an entire crew to think of! Alice and Jackie are on The Pearl and could be sucked into a typhoon any minute! Now MOVE!" Kelsey didn't wait for them to answer, instead she ran down the corridors of the barge.

"Kelsey!" Rob cried after her.

"Let her go," Jack interrupted suddenly, "She can fly and breathe underwater. That puts her in better shape than us! Besides that, she has The Book. We need to get back to The Pearl."

"I still don't like this, but I guess I don't… she can breathe _underwater_?" Rob cried in disbelief.

Jack shrugged, "I'm sure she was going to tell you sooner or later. Come on, all aboard!"

-888-

The wedding guests were startled, but thankfully they were coherent enough to tell Kelsey where Eric had vanished to. Kelsey raced to the other end of the ship in a panic. The sky had already begun to darken and she sensed a low rumbling noise coming from the water, almost like a storm was brewing beneath the waves instead of above. As Kelsey stumbled across the deck, she struggled to recall how this scene played out in _The Little Mermaid_. Right now, Ursula had dragged Ariel underneath The Ocean and she would soon be confronted by King Triton. After some negotiating Triton would trade himself for his daughter.

And then all hell would break loose…

She knew that in a matter of seconds, Ursula would rise up out of the water like a mountain emerging out of the sea and Ariel and Eric would be caught in the thick of it. Not to mention The Black Pearl. Kelsey swallowed hard, they would need her help before the end of it. She could control both wind and water and there was bound to be a lot of both.

A sudden cry, caused Kelsey to skid to a halt. Leaning over the edge yelling out to his young charge was Grimsby. The ties around his neck and his long gray hair flapped in the wind as he called out in a panic. "Eric! What are you doing?"

"Grim, I almost lost her once!" Eric called back, "I'm not gonna lose her again!"

"You'll lose a lot more than her if you just…Eric!" Kelsey yelped. She joined Grimsby at the railing and leaned over the edge. She could see Eric rowing a longboat out into the dark water. Panic clutched her throat at the thought, "Eric! Eric! What the HELL do you think you're doing?"

Grimsby was so startled by her unladylike language that he nearly toppled headfirst into the waves. "Miss Kelsey!" he cried, "What are you doing here? Oh never mind! Quick! Save him! Do something!"

"Help. Police. Murder," Kelsey snapped dryly. Grimsby stared at her blankly, not understanding the Willy Wonka reference for obvious reasons. Kelsey didn't have time to explain. "Eric! ERIC!" Kelsey screamed louder, but Eric either didn't hear her or was choosing to ignore. Instead, he kept on rowing out into the dark water.

-888-

Elizabeth was anxiously viewing the dark clouds above them when The Spirit landed on the deck of The Pearl. She practically yanked Will off the Atlantean vehicle. "William!" she cried wrapping her arms around him tightly, "Do you have any idea what's happening?"

"No, but Kelsey does," Will said quickly, "She said to expect the worst and quickly ready the ship to move."

"But what's happening?" Sophia demanded.

"Something bad," Jack supplied, "No time to explain. Just get Emma and the girls down below."

"That's sexist!" Emma retorted as her cousin scooped her up. "Put me down!"

"We don't have time, mini neo-feminist!" Rob snapped, "Go down below!"

"But what about you?" Emma cried with wide eyes as Rob shoved her into Jackie's arms.

"I'll be fine," Rob said, he struggled to give her a reassuring smile, but he couldn't quite get the fear out of his eyes and Emma instantly saw through it.

"Come down with me!" Emma pleaded, "I want you to come with me! Where's Kelsey? I want Kelsey!"

"Emma we don't have time for this!" Rob cried in frustration. He struggled to remind himself that Emma was only a kid and this was a perfectly natural reaction for a seven year old. "Just…go!" he spoke the last words to Jackie. Jackie nodded and rushed down the steps. Rob could hear Emma wailing as he went.

Rob tried to ignore his cousin's weepings by searching for Jack and Will. Jack had taken the helm while William was already up in the riggings with Elizabeth crawling up behind him. Of course, when Jack had ordered "the girls" below, Elizabeth obviously did count herself in that group. The two were currently bickering with each other about whether it would be more prudent to tie up the sails to prevent damage or to lower them to pick up the wind.

Suddenly, another figure emerged from below nearly crashing into Rob as she went by. Rob jumped and let out a cry of disbelief. What he had thought was just another crew member actually turned out to be…

"Sophia!" Rob cried in disbelief. Sophia wasn't dressed in her usual elaborate dress. Instead, she was wearing a slightly dingy tunic and pants that were obviously too big for her and belted with a long sash. Even her reddish hair was tied back with a bandana. She looked like a perfect pirate… and the sight was unnerving.

"Well, didya think I was going to ruin my best, and only, gown?" she snapped once she caught him staring.

"Of course not," Rob said quickly, coming to his senses, "I'm going up to help Will."

"Not without this, you're not!" Sophia slipped a lifeline around his waist and began knotting it tightly.

"Thanks," Rob said, "Now shouldn't you be making your way down below?"

"I don't take orders from _Kelsey_. What makes you think I'm going to take orders from you?" Sophia snapped.

"I ask nicely?"

Sophia made a snorting noise of derision as she tightened the knot. "Hold still."

"Did you get those clothes from Jack?" Rob asked as she worked.

"Bah!" Sophia cried tightening the knot again for good measure, "I would never do something like that." She took a few steps away and turned to look at him over her shoulder, "Will's clothes looked cleaner."

Rob shook his head, "Why don't you just borrow some from Elizabeth?"

"There's something rather sacrilegious about invading another woman's closet," Sophia said as she began to climb up the rigging, "A matter of principles really."

"I seem to remember my sister saying something about that," Rob said as he thought back to the day that he had first been sucked into The Kingdom.

_"You're breaking one of the ten girl commandments."_

_"Girl Commandments?" _

_"Yeah, thou shalt not enter thy sister's closet unpermitted!"_

Rob now knew her real reasons for keeping him out. Kelsey had been trying to keep him out of her closet… and away from the DVD. Right now he would give anything to be back in her bedroom safe and sound.

-888-

Panic had erupted aboard the wedding barge. Kelsey scowled as the wedding guests rushed around in a desperate, scared crowd. Trying to establish order was like trying to direct a herd of spooked cattle. Of course, things hadn't been easy for the guests. Over the course of an hour, the ship had been invaded by Scuttle and his animal friends, a mysterious girl had climbed aboard the ship and suddenly started singing, the groom had run off with her, said girl's legs had turned into a tail (Kelsey understood the full shock of seeing a tail where legs were supposed to be), the bride had suddenly turned into a sea witch and dragged the girl overboard and now their prince had vanished. It was remarkable that they were as calm as they were. A year or two ago and Kelsey would have been freaking out with them. _Amazing what months of life endangering situations can do for the nerves_, Kelsey mused.

Kelsey stood on top of one of the tables and screamed at the top of her lungs, "HEY! EVERYBODY! COOL IT!" The guests _did _stop moving about as much and turned their attention to her, but there was still a lot of anxious muttering and milling.

"We don't have much time!" Kelsey announced, "I need everyone to get below deck in a calm and orderly fashion! Orderly, but not slow! Be careful not to stampede! Now MOVE!" The guests did as they were told and Kelsey breathed a sigh of relief. At least she wouldn't have to worry about collateral now.

"God," she sighed, "If word gets out about this I'll never be invited to another wedding again!"

Grimsby made his way through the people to Kelsey's side, "Prince Eric has not returned!" he told her, "What do we do?"

"_We _will go after him, while _you _get down below!" Kelsey grumbled as she shrugged her arms out of her goldenrod coat. She pulled off her shoes and vest as well. She would need to swim fast and did not want to be weighed down. "Here," she snapped shoving them into Grimsby's arms. "Now, I don't want to tell you again. GET BELOW!"

"But Kelsey…!" Grimsby cried. It was too late. Kelsey had already jumped off the edge of the ship, making a less than graceful dive into The Ocean.

-888-

"The wind's starting to pick up!" Will cried suddenly as he clung to the mast.

"What?" Elizabeth yelled back.

"I said, THE WIND IS STARTING TO PICK UP!" Will yelled over the howling of the wind. As if to prove his point, Sophia's makeshift bandana flew from her head and fluttered away in the breeze.

"Is this 'just a little seismic activity' ?" Rob retorted.

"Nothing about this seems natural to me," Will said anxiously.

"OH MY DISNEY!" Sophia yelped suddenly, her eyes wide, "LOOK!" Everyone struggled to turn and look at what Sophia's outstretched arm was pointing at. The wind was getting even stronger and a black shape was flying towards them on the horizon. They all recognized it immediately, but none could really believe what they were seeing. Suddenly, the ship starting to rock violently nearly tossing Rob from the riggings. Fortunately, Sophia's lifeline held him in place.

"WILL!" they could hear Jack yell from the helm, "We're battling a typhoon! Typhoons typically don't just appear out of nowhere! What's going on up there?"

Will looked at the dark shape again, almost as though he was trying to convince himself that it was real. "WILLIAM!" Jack bellowed again.

"It's Hades!" William called back down, "In his chariot."

"WHAT? CAN'T BE!"

"Unless I swallowed too much sea water, it is!" Will yelled back, "I'd recognize that chariot anywhere!"

"Well, what the bloody hell is he doing out here?"

"How the hell should I know?" Will retorted angrily. Rob's eyes widened at the dialogue. Swearing was a huge taboo in The Kingdom and not one but TWO characters had just broken it. _Kelsey really _is_ a bad influence here!_

At that moment, the waves and wind suddenly begin to stir up the sea. Jack struggled against the helm, but there was very little he could do. The Black Pearl was being sucked into a mighty whirlpool. They clung to their lifelines as they rocked back and forth. And as they moved, they could hear Hades's loud voice echoing over the sea.

"BROTHERS!" he called, "TITANS! LOOK AT YOU IN YOUR SQUALID PRISON!" From Rob's vantage point, he could look down at the center of the whirlpool he was circling around and see a prison grate of some sort. There were dark frightening shadows lurking behind it. The Titans.

"Oh no," Rob whispered. He had seen the movie Hercules more times than was probably healthy when he was a child. He knew what was going to happen.

"WHO PUT YOU DOWN THERE?" Hades asked.

There was a low thunder like rumbling from the sea as the Titans roared, "ZEUS!"

"AND NOW THAT I SET YOU FREE!" Hades announced. His hands were extended and a bright light emitted from them shinning through the grate. "WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO?"

"DESTROY HIM!" they roared as four fearsome fists rose up above the water.

"Good answer," Hades smiled smugly.

-888-

Aboard The Pearl, Rob and the others gazed at the Titans in horror. They easily dwarfed The Pearl in their size, but fortunately Hades didn't seem to notice them. The crew was stuck in what was arguably the worst possible case of "being in the wrong place in the wrong time" in recorded history.

Sophia shook her head in disbelief, "You know… when your sister said expect the worst, I don't think even she could have predicted this!"

"No," Rob agreed sadly, "I don't think anyone could have."


	10. Against the Elements

**The Great Disney Adventure III: Heroes and Villains**

**A Disney story by talking2myself**

**DISCLAIMER: **See Chapter 1.

Chapter. 10 Against the Elements

Disney Greece

24 Hours Earlier

Meg had never been so anxious before in her entire life. She had replayed the situation over and over in her head trying to see how it had gone so wrong so quickly. It seemed that she had chosen one over the other. She had saved Hercules, but doomed Kelsey. She knew that it wasn't right, but hadn't she chosen the lesser of two evils? Wonderboy was safe, at least she had accomplished that much. Hades would have found Kelsey sooner or later and killed her right? At least she had bought Hercules some time… right?

Meg sighed and peered out at the city of Thebes beneath her. She sat in Hades's above ground lair. This one was a small step above the underground one. It was slightly less suffocating, slightly less creepy…_slightly_.

So what now? She wondered. Hercules would defeat Hades… hopefully… and she would run away with Hercules and live happily ever after… while the woman who brought them together would get nothing more than a watery grave. Meg groaned outloud, "Well, what was I SUPPOSED to do?"

"Supposed to do about what?"

Meg jumped at the gruff voice behind her. She whirled around to see Rourke standing there. It was eerie the way that he skulked about the lair without her hearing him, even though he was built out of crystal. He should have clanked about like a suit of armor, but somehow he was silent as the wind. Probably something to do with his many years of military training.

"Oh…" she said, "It's you."

"Yeah," Rourke said curtly, "Me. Who were you expecting? Mickey Mouse?"

Meg shrugged nonchalantly, "Ya never know with this guy." she gestured back towards Hades's room. A separate part of the lair filled with pots. The two of them could hear muffled yelling, so Meg assumed that it was another meeting with The Thirteen.

"Cute," Rourke snapped, "So… you've decided to join the winning team eh Little Lady?"

Meg scoffed, "By that you mean The Thirteen, I assume? No. The male to female ratio is way off. And I don't like the way you talk to me."

"What's wrong with it?" Rourke snapped.

Meg put her hands on her hips, "Somehow I doubt you call Maleficent "little lady"."

Rourke frowned and Meg smirked. Her point was taken. "Fine," Rourke said dismissively, "If you don't want to be a player, then you can be a pawn."

"What?" Meg asked in confusion, but Rourke refused to elaborate. It was hard to read Rourke's crystalline facial expressions, but she had a feeling that he was offering a smug smile.

Meg was about to question him further when Hades burst into the room. "Alright, coffee break's over," he said abruptly. "We got work to do, Nutmeg." He seized her wrist and dragged her away.

"What?" Meg cried, "But where are we going…?"

"To pay your cutie pie a visit," Hades snapped, "I have an ultimatum for him."

"What?" Meg cried, "Hercules?"

"No, the other demi-god who's been waltzing around messing up my diabolical plans, of course I mean Hercules!" Hades snarled. Suddenly, he paused and looked Meg in the eye. "Oh! I get it, you thought that being a good little minion and telling me about Kelsey would give Hercules a get-out-of-jail-free card eh? Ha!" Hades threw his head back and laughed, "Nice try, sweetheart. Though I'll be sure to give you a golden star once we get back to the lair."

"No!" Meg cried suddenly struggling to get back, "You don't understand! Hercules… he has no weaknesses!" She laughed triumphantly, "He's gonna…!"

Hades suddenly whirled around with an evil grin, "I think… he does, Meg. I truly think he does."

-888-

THE PRESENT

THE OCEAN

Kelsey felt the whirlpool several seconds after she dove into The Ocean. Kelsey struggled hard to swim against the current. Drowning wasn't something that she had to worry about, but being dashed against the rocks wasn't a way that she wanted to go either. She struggled to push the unpleasant thoughts aside. She paddled harder, barely able to keep up enough momentum to push her way through the waves.

Despite the rushing sound of water in her ears, she could hear another sound echoing over the waves. Kelsey managed to pull herself out of the whirlwind and swam down towards the seafloor. She immediately identified the sound. It was an evil wicked cackle. Ursula.

Ariel was kneeling down besides a strange, homely plantlike creature, a mermaid once again. Kelsey frowned, the creature was doubtlessly King Triton. Ursula stood before her wearing Triton's crown and brandishing his legendary weapon. Ariel lifted her eyes and glared at Ursula. "You… MONSTER!" she yelled. She threw herself at Ursula only to be thrown to one side. Ursula pointed the triton at Ariel threateningly.

"Don't fool with me you little brat!" she snarled, "Contract or no I'll… ARGH!" Ursula let out a cry of pain. In the blink of an eye, a harpoon had shot through the waves and hit her hard in the arm. Ursula and Kelsey both whirled around to spy Eric floating in the water.

Kelsey groaned, "In what world would that seem like a good idea?"

"Why you little troll!" Ursula growled.

"Eric look out!" Ariel cried.

"I better get a piece of wedding cake for this!" Kelsey grumbled as she swam after him.

"GET HIM!" Ursula shrieked at her two minions. They were two fearsome eels named Flotsam and Jetsam. They charged after Eric as he tried to swim away. With the whirlpool pressing down on them he didn't get that far.

"Come on!" two small creatures paddled past her to Eric's rescue, Flounder and Sebastian. The two launched themselves at the eels full force. Sebastian pinched one with his claws while Flounder bashed the other with his tail. The two released Eric and fell to the side.

Kelsey didn't breathe a sigh of relief quite yet. She swam faster. She could hear Ursula chuckling wickedly.

"Say goodbye to your, sweetheart!" she grinned.

"ERIC WATCH OUT!" Kelsey yelped. She flung herself at him pulling him out of the way. At the same time, Ariel pounced on Ursula's back. Ariel yanked her back causing the shot to go haywire. Kelsey pulled Eric out of range just in time to miss the blast. Unfortunately, Flotsam and Jetsam weren't so fortunate. The two disintegrated into dust.

"Babies!" Kelsey could hear Ursula wail, "My poor little poopsies!"

"Great!" Kelsey grumbled to Eric, "I have ANOTHER Thirteen member pissed at me. If we both survive through this, you owe me big!" Kelsey glanced down anxiously. Ariel was swimming alongside them. Down below, Ursula was glaring at them, heaving mighty angry breaths as a black cloud of smoke flooded around her.

"Kelsey!" Ariel cried in disbelief, "I'm sorry, I didn't…"

"You had to go and make a deal with a damn sea witch!" Kelsey yelled, "I shouldn't have to tell you that that's a bad idea!"

The three of them paddled harder as they breached the surface. Kelsey anxiously glanced about desperately trying to find The Pearl. She turned around slowly to face the horizon. What she saw terrified her.

Hades was hovering above some sort of strange portal and climbing out were the strangest creatures Kelsey had ever seen. Creatures made of ice, rock, wind, and lava. They were making their way to Greece. Kelsey recognized them right away. The Titans.

"Oh God no!" Kelsey cried in disbelief, "Not _now_!"

"Eric, you've got to get away from here!" Kelsey heard Ariel cry behind her.

"You BOTH need to get the hell outta here!" Kelsey cried as she suddenly remembered that Ursula was still lurking below.

"No! I won't leave you!" Eric declared clinging to Ariel.

At that moment, wicked laughter rumbled from beneath them. Kelsey paddled away from the area, but Ariel and Eric were swept up into the air as a massive crown point forced its way between the two.

From her angle, Kelsey could only stare with her mouth hanging open. Ursula had grown one hundred times her normal size. She laughed wickedly as she loomed above Kelsey.

"Ah!" she laughed triumphantly, "What do we have here? A lovely little ketch caught in a storm…"

-888-

In the course of his lifetime, Jack Sparrow had seen and done many things. But now as he gazed up at the mighty titans emerging from the ocean, Jack felt that he could say with a certain amount of honesty, "Now I've seen everything!" For a moment, all the crew of The Pearl could do was stare up at the sight in dumb terror.

"Oh dear God," Will whispered, a feeling of despair swarmed his heart and he gazed up at the creatures with disbelief.

Jack was the first to recover. "Alright, listen up!" Jack hollered over the storm. Things are bad, but as far as we know those things don't know that we're here. As much as it pains me to call me own vessel small, compared to them we're downright puny. Maybe we can sneak by undetected. We have the element of surprise on our side!"

"Well, that's good!" Rob scoffed angrily, "Cause they have every other _element _on _their _side!"

"Belay that!" Jack snarled at Rob, "We don't have time to panic. Release the sails!"

Will paused long enough to give his wife an I-told-you-so sort of look. That had been Will's idea originally. Elizabeth scowled at him before going to obey Jack's orders. Sophia let out a sigh of disbelief, "This is a disaster!"

Rob shrugged, "Can't get any worse I suppose."

Sophia suddenly jerked to attention and launched herself at him. She gripped his neck roughly and nearly throttled him, "DON'T EVER SAY THAT! THIS IS A _DISNEY _WORLD!"

At that moment, the entire ship rocked back and forth. Sophia let out a yelp and nearly toppled from the riggings. The already weary crew turned portside to see Ursula casting her mighty shadow down over them. Sophia turned to glare at Rob.

"Oh come on!" Rob cried, "There's no way this is my fault…!"

"WILL!" Jack screamed, interrupting Rob, "I said RELEASE THE SAILS!"

"We DID!" Will retorted angrily, looking down helplessly at the sails.

"Then _why _aren't we moving?" Jack cried out furiously.

"Did you ever think that these sails are too raggedy to catch a breeze?" Elizabeth asked.

"She's made her way through worse!" Jack responded, "Don't see what the problem is this time! And we desperately need speed if we're to get out of here alive!"

Rob leaned over the edge of the mast. His mouth hung open at what he saw.

Ice.

A sparkling, thick sheet of ice. The ice Titan had trudged his way through The Ocean as he made his way towards Greece. And with each step he took, he left behind a large ice patch. Rob frowned, the bow of The Pearl had gotten trapped by the mighty sheets. "That's the problem!" Rob yelled pointing. "We're stuck!"

Will leaned over the edge and gazed at what Rob was pointing at. He cursed angrily beneath his breath. "We need to break free," he said as he scrambled down the riggings.

"Will!" Elizabeth cried, "What are you going to do."

Will disappeared down the hallways towards the cabins. "WILL!" Elizabeth yelled. A few moments later, Will emerged again. He was holding a large hammer in one hand, a remnant from his days working as a blacksmith. "Will, you can't be serious!" Elizabeth cried.

"I'll be right back!" Will yelled back. He tossed the ship's ladder over the edge of The Pearl and scrambled down.

"WILL!" Elizabeth screamed. The ladder only reached about halfway down the ship. Will was forced to jump the remainder of the way. Will leapt lightly onto the sheet of ice that surrounded The Pearl. There was a horrifying CRACK! as the ice creaked beneath Will's weight. Fortunately, Will moved quickly across the ice, like a speed skater at the Olympics. He skated across the ice wobbly until he made it to the bow of the ship. Then, he began to desperately pound at the ice surrounding the bow.

Rob gnawed at his finger nails as Will worked, making painfully slow progress. "He can't do this on his own!" Rob cried, "He won't make it in time." Rob scrambled down the riggings, pausing long enough to grab a sword from one of the dumbstruck pirates.

"ROB!" Jack hollered, "STOP! It's bad enough that the whelp's out there! If I lose you, your sister will have my guts for garters!"

"You won't lose me!" Rob cried, staggering underneath the weight of the sword. It weighed more than he could have imagined. He suddenly felt a new respect for the work that Will had gone through. "We're sitting ducks unless we do SOMETHING!"

Jack sighed heavily, "Be careful! And for God's sake cling to your lifeline. Tell Will to do the same!"

"Yeah, yeah, sure!" Rob cried distractedly as he swung one leg over the side of The Pearl. He made his way down the ladder as it swung wildly in the wind. He moved quickly down the ladder, but still slower than Will.

He focused on the ice sheet before him, trying to judge where the ice was thickest. He intentionally avoided the cracks where Will had landed minutes ago. He squeezed his eyes shut as he hopped down onto the ice. The cracks were less than when Will had jumped, probably because Rob was lighter and shorter.

"Will!" he cried as he staggered his way over.

Will looked up from bashing away at the ice. His hands were already turning red and blue from the cold. "Rob!" he screamed over the wind, "Go back!"

"No!" Rob yelled and then he offered Will a wry smile, "Not after all the effort it took to get down here!"

Will didn't seem to appreciate Rob's sense of humor. He was about to offer an angry retort when the wind picked up. A sudden gust pummeled both Will and Rob flat onto the ice. It was the wind titan passing by. As he did, the two slid across the ice towards the black water. Rob and Will clawed at the ice desperate to find something to cling to. Rob felt the cold ice beneath his nails, but couldn't find anything to grip. He winced as Will was blown into him. Will struggled to pull out his blacksmith hammer. He plunged it into the ice and clung to the handle while Rob struggled to hold onto his leg. The action saved them from being plunged into the water, but caused the ice to splinter beneath them making the ice even more fragile.

The two clung there as they waited for the titan to pass. Finally, the two gingerly made it to their feet. Rob frowned, every step they took caused more cracks in the ice. Will was slowly making his way back towards the bow of the ship. He began pounding away at the ice. Rob hastened to his side praying that he would be able to keep his balance. He began to hack away roughly at the ice with his sword. His hands were going numb with the cold and he could see that Will's were bleeding. Will paused long enough to rip a shred of cloth from his sleeves. He tore it in half and wrapped one around each of his hands to protect them from the cold before refocusing his attention on his task.

The two men were so focused on their duty, they barely noticed a bubbling noise coming from behind them. Rob looked up just in time to see a massive, smoking, red blob come towards them. The lava titan. While the other titans hadn't noticed the trapped ship, this one did. He scowled at them before raising a dripping hand and curling it into a fistlike shape. He brought it down hard on the ice. As he did, it heated up the ice causing it to melt and break into pieces.

"WILL! RUN!" Rob screamed suddenly.

Will glanced up and looked over his shoulder. The ice was already starting to melt beneath his feet. Will lunged forwards desperately. The two of the struggled to run across the ice. Their work had not been in vain. The ship burst through and began to move slowly through the remaining ice.

Will and Rob skated as quickly as they could across the ice sheet. Rob, being lighter, moved faster than Will. He paused for a moment, peering back over his shoulder at Will. Will was in trouble. Rob only saw his face for a few seconds before the ice cracked beneath his feet and Will was plunged underneath the ice.

"WILL!" he screamed. He skidded back to where Will had fallen. He gripped Will's taut lifeline and struggled to pull him back up. Will's head popped up above the ice and he gasped for breath. Rob was sitting on an ice piece as it floated and bobbed along in the water. The Pearl was gaining speed and Rob was nearly yanked into the water. Rob managed to yank Will onto their makeshift ice-chunk raft as they were pulled by alongside The Pearl by their lifelines. They would get yanked under the water if Rob didn't do something quick.

Rob maneuvered the sword and slashed their lifelines. He pulled Will up against his chest as he watched The Black Pearl drift away from them. Their raft was quickly caught up in the whirlwind again.

He returned his focus to Will's limp body. "Will!" Rob whispered, "No, no, no, no, Will! Please! Don't die on me! There's no way Kelsey will EVER forgive me!"

"Not…dead!" Will managed to gasp indignantly. The man's teeth was chattering and he was trembling in Rob's arms, but he was still alive. Rob let out a sigh of relief. The two men clung to the boat as they whirled around in the water. Rob was convinced that they were going to die.

CLUNK!" Suddenly, the whole raft rocked back and forth as something landed roughly besides them.

"Curses!" Rob heard Elizabeth swear, "How on earth does Kelsey fly this bloody contraption?" Rob looked up long enough to see Elizabeth balanced on The Spirit.

"Elizabeth!" he cried out in relief.

"GET. ON!" Elizabeth ordered. Rob clambered to his feet and tossed Will aboard the ship like he was a sack of potatoes. Will grunted in pain and struggled to sit up. Rob jumped aboard.

Elizabeth swore under her breath as she slammed her hand onto the inscription pad. Both Rob and Will felt whiplash as the vehicle spurred forwards nearly dumping them all. They flew hard against the wind until Elizabeth managed to land roughly on the deck of The Pearl. The landing jarred them all and flung them onto the deck. For a few moments, Rob just laid there and struggled to catch his breath.

"We made it," he whispered.

Then, Ursula's voice echoed out over the sea. "What do we have here? A lovely little ketch caught in a storm…"

Rob groaned, "Or maybe not."

-888-

Ursula laughed wickedly as she eyed The Pearl like it was a child's bath toy. Ariel and Eric clung to each other in fear and even Kelsey couldn't help but gawk at the mighty sea witch. She laughed wickedly as she raised the triton. "You pitiful, insignificant FOOLS!" she bellowed. She struck The Pearl with the butt of the triton causing it to rock back and forth wildly.

"HEY! QUIT PLAYING WITH ME SHIP!" Kelsey snarled raising a fist at Ursula angrily. At that moment, one of Ursula's mighty tentacles flew towards her nearly crushing her. Kelsey dove under the water and desperately paddled out of the way. Ariel and Eric were separated from her as they disappeared beneath the spray of the water.

"NOW I AM THE RULER OF ALL THE OCEAN!" Ursula cried. She rose the triton in the air causing lightning to crash in the sky. "THE WAVES OBEY MY EVERY WHIM! THE SEA AND ALL IT'S SPOILS SHALL BOW TO MY POWER!" Ursula stirred the mighty ocean with her triton causing the whirlpool to grow stronger, sucking The Pearl into its vortex. Rob and the others screamed as the ship spun about like a top. Jack was forced to abandon the helm and cling to a mast as the ship careened out of control.

Meanwhile, Kelsey dove beneath the waves. While she had been sucked under before, something had caught her eye. Deep beneath the waves, was a wrecked ship. It was full of holes, but Kelsey was sure that she could get it to float. She needed The Book. Kelsey scrambled back up to the surface. She swam as hard as she could against the current. The wedding barge was still spinning around and around. She could hear the panicked cries of the guests inside it.

Desperately, she groped for one of the long party streamers that were still trailing from the ship's deck. Kelsey managed to pull herself back aboard the ship. Slipping on the wet dock, Kelsey scrambled across the deck down below. She flung open the hatch causing a spray of water to shower the guests. "GRIMSBY!" she hollered.

"Ms. Kelsey!" Grimsby cried, soaking wet but still clinging to her jacket like it was a life vest. "Thank goodness you're…"

"Give me my coat!" she ordered.

Grimsby looked genuinely confused, "But you said you didn't…"

"NOW I'm saying GIVE ME MY COAT!" Kelsey roared, snatching it from his hands. She rummaged through her jacket and fished out The Book of Songs before slamming the hatch closed again. Kelsey hobbled to the edge of the deck and jumped overboard.

One of the songs was a water song. Kelsey had used The Book underwater. That was not a concern. The only worry that Kelsey had was whether she would have the power to lift up the entire wreck out of the water. She had to. It was the only chance for all of them to come out of this alive.


	11. A Pretty Big If

**The Great Disney Adventure III: Heroes and Villains**

**A Disney story by talking2myself**

**DISCLAIMER: **See Chapter 1.

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **Technology and my busy schedule had conspired against me and that's why this is so late. I've been really busy and my keyboard revolted against me and wasn't working for some bizarre reason. I believe I've fixed the problem so I should be back on schedule for the next chapter.

**A Pretty Big "If"**

DISNEY GREECE

SEVERAL HOURS EARLIER

"She's nothing but a two timin..!"

"Stop it!"

"…no good, lyin' scheming'…!"

"SHUT UP!" Hercules roared. With a mighty swing of his arm, he sent Phil crashing into a pile of weights that he had stacked in the corner of his gym. Phil cracked his head pretty hard against the weights and gazed at Hercules with a hurt expression.

"Phil!" Hercules cried, "I… oh! I'm so sorry…"

Phil got to his feet and climbed down from the mountain of equipment. "Okay, okay. That's it!" he sighed angrily, "You don't want to face the truth? Fine!" He turned his back on Hercules.

"Phil wait!" Hercules cried, "Where are you going?"

Phil didn't turn around, "I'm hoppin' the first barge outta here. I'm going home."

Hercules stared at Phil's retreating figure he frowned. "Fine!" he yelled back to Phil, "G-go! I don't… I don't need you!" He turned attention to his weight set. The two weights probably weighed more than a pair of anvils.

Phil cast a sad backwards glance at his young pupil, "I thought you were gonna be the all time champ," he sighed, "Not the all-time chump."

Hercules turned to watch Phil's retreating figure leave his arena. It was hard to believe that mere hours ago, Hercules had been the happiest man in The Kingdom. His date with Meg had been an absolute dream. The sort of evening that seemed to be so common in The Kingdom, but the type of happily ever after that Hercules had never been able to acquire. And then Phil had come in. He accused Meg of being a liar and traitor.

He couldn't wrap his mind around it. It was insane. It had to be! No one could look into his eyes like that, like she could see his very soul and loved it. Like she saw through the front of the heroic hero and had found the awkward, sweet boy hiding inside… and she loved him. No. No one could look at him like that and _lie_.

It couldn't be possible.

_Phil's probably still upset about me playing hooky_, Hercules reasoned. _Maybe I should go apologize?_ He was about to chase after Phil when a voice startled him.

"Geez Louise, what's got his goat eh?"

Hercules turned slowly and stared at the figure perched up on his gymnast bars.

Hades.

Hades flipped off the bars before landing on the equipment in front of Hercules. "Baboom!" he cried, "Hey name's Hades, Lord of the Dead. Hey how ya doin'?"

Hercules let out a sigh, "Not now, okay?" He turned to leave, but Hades flew over to the gymnast bars in front of him and walked closer to Hercules on his hands, "Hey, hey, I only need a few minutes and I'm a fast talker. See, I've got a major deal in the works, a real estate venture if you will. And Herc, you little devil,… can I call you Herc?… you seem to be _constantly _getting in the way…"

Hercules shook his head in disbelief, "You're out of your mind!"

Hades lunged towards the figure clutching Hercules in frustration, "Hear me out ya little…" he snarled. His flaming hair flared for a few moments, before Hades was able to regain his composure. "Just hear me out, okay. So I would be eternally grateful if you would just…" Hades shrugged, "Take a day off from this hero business of yours. Geez, I mean monsters, natural disasters. Phew! You wait a day, okay?"

Hercules eyed Hades warily, "You're out of your mind…!"

"Not so fast!" Hades interrupted. Now was the time to play his trump card. "because you see, I do have a little leverage you _might _want to know about."

Hades snapped his fingers and Meg appeared in the arena. Hercules gasped in surprise.

"Meg!" he cried.

"Don't listen, Herc…!" Meg cried. Hades snapped his hands and smoke coils wrapped around her. She fell, gagged, to the ground and disappeared before Hercules could make it to her side.

"Let her go!" Hercules roared throwing himself at Hades. He slipped through Hades like he was jumping through a plume of smoke.

"Here's the trade off," Hades said in a businesslike voice as Meg reappeared at his side, "You give up your powers for 24 hours, say the _next _24 hours and Meg here is free as a bird and safe from harm. We dance, we kiss, we smooze, we carry on, we go home happy, what do you say?"

Hercules continued to stare at Hades suspiciously, "People are gonna get hurt? Aren't they?"

"Nah!" Hades said insantly, "I mean, you know, it's a possibility, it happens, it's a war, but what can I tell you?" He hurried to Meg, "Isn't Meg," he turned to nuzzle Meg's nose, "Little Smoochy face… isn't she more important than she is?"

"Stop it!" Hercules cried.

"Isn't she?" Hades demanded angrily.

Hercules drew a deep, angry, breath, "You have to swear that she'll be safe from _any _harm."

Hades sighed heavily, "Fine! I'll give you that. Meg is safe, otherwise you get your strength back, yadda yadda, fine print, boilerplate, baboom. Okay, we're done. Whaddya say we shake on it?" He offered Hercules his hand, but Hercules was still reluctant to shake it. Hades snarled at Hercules's hesitation. "I don't, like, have _time _to bat this around! I'm kinda on a schedule here, I got plans for August. I need an answer NOW." He turned to face Hercules, speaking quickly, "Going once, going twice…"

Hercules turned to glance at Meg, who was desperately shaking her head, then he turned back to Hades. "Alright." he said.

Hades whole face lit up with a wicked smile. "Yes! We're there! BAM!" Hades reached out his hand and clutched his. The two figures both lit up with bright light as Hades's deal was sealed.

THE OCEAN

PRESENT DAY

Emma squirmed in Alice's arms as they huddled together with Jackie below the deck. The ship was being tossed from wave to wave like a football. It was like riding a wild bucking bronco. Alice frowned as her eyes drifted upwards at whatever Rob was facing. Jackie's eyes were wide behind her diamond shaped glasses and Alice suspected that she was thinking the same thing. Alice struggled not to think about Rob. _He'll be fine. He'll be fine. He'll be fine. _She repeated the mantra over and over.

"Emma, stop squirming," Alice said gently, focusing her attention on the child.

"Let me go and I will," Emma grumbled, "I want Kelsey!"

"I know little one," Alice sighed, "She'll be here soon."

At that moment, the entire ship shook wildly. Jackie scrambled closer to Alice and Emma and the three of them clung to each other until the rocking ceased. Emma burst into tears.

"I WANT KELSEY!"

"Shh," Jackie hushed, smoothing back Emma's blonde locks, "It'll b-b-be alright."

"Yes, hush now," Alice agreed, "We'll protect you."

"Both of you?" Emma asked.

Alice and Jackie exchanged anxious glances. Jackie inched closer and pressed her hand on top of Alice's. "B-b-both of us," she said. She said it to Emma, but her eyes were locked on Alice's. Alice smiled warmly and clasped Jackie's hand as well.

"Both of us,"

"Okay, good," Emma said shaking away the scared child façade like it was a coat. "Here are the rules."

"R-r-rules?" Jackie asked, confused about Emma's change.

"Yeah," Emma said, "Rules. First off, you two gotta play nice."

"P-play nice?" Jackie asked, more confused than before.

"I know you guys have been fighting with each other," Emma admitted.

"Emma, how on earth did you find that out?" Alice asked. She had thought that her arguments with Jackie had been somewhat secretive.

Emma rolled her eyes, "Same way that I know that Raggetti secretly likes romance novels and Gibbs sleeps with a teddy bear. I'm a little kid. I pay attention."

"Gibbs sleeps with a teddy bear?" Alice asked.

"Raggetti l-l-likes romance n-n-novels?" Jackie asked.

Emma rolled her eyes and heaved a dramatic sigh, "Really? I'm the only one who noticed? Anyways, rule number 2, quit fighting over Rob!" Both Alice and Jackie seemed a little embarrassed. "Yeah, I know about that too. He's a really nice boy and I don't think he has too many cooties, but whoever doesn't end up with him will find a handsome prince somewhere in The Kingdom." The two sat there in awkward silence.

"I heard Kelsey talking about you guys," Emma finally said, "She wants you to be friends. _I_ want you to be friends. And Rob wants to be friends with both of you. We got enough stuff to worry about. Can't we be friends?"

Suddenly, there was a massive clap of lighting and Emma let out a squeal of genuine fright. She clung tightly to Alice and Jackie's arms. The two clung to each other tighter.

"Y-y-yes, we can be friends," Jackie declared.

"Of course," Alice agreed.

"Good," Emma shakily, "Because I think Kelsey and Rob might need all the help they can get…"

-888-

The water was dark and swirling around Kelsey in a vortex. She wasn't afraid of drowning, but there was still plenty of other things for her to worry about. Like being dashed against the rocks or struck in the head by a piece of driftwood. She shoved those thoughts away from her mind. She couldn't dwell on doubts. Not now when there were people who depended on her.

It seemed like hours later, when Kelsey finally managed to drag herself aboard the wreck. She stared at the ship and frowned. It was more damaged than she had thought. There were holes everywhere and the masts and sails were albeit completely torn away. _It's gonna take a lot to make this float._

She closed her eyes tightly and began to sing.

"The seaweed is always greener,

In somebody else's lake…"

She sang the lyrics of _Under the Sea_, but Kelsey was thinking of the waves. Of the mighty vortex in the ocean. Of the power that she knew lay in the tides and wind. As she did, she sang louder and clearer. The power of the song moving through her and the water all around her.

Unsure of what to do next, Kelsey rose her arms, willing the ship to lift up with all her might. It was true, she had kept a ship afloat before, but that had been when the weather was calm, the boat was in better shape, and she was well-rested. This was something else entirely.

She was immediately met with resistance. The water around her suddenly felt crushingly, heavy. Like all of The Ocean was pushing down on top of her. Kelsey was taken off guard by the sheer force of the water and was left stuttering for a few moments as she tried to get her bearings. As she did, the bow of the ship nosed back towards the seafloor. Kelsey scowled and sang louder, focusing on the task with all her might. Suddenly, the ship surged up and broke through to the surface. Kelsey felt a surge of relief, but she realized that she was now in a bad position. It took all of her concentration just to maintain the ship's delicate balance above the waves. There was no way that she could steer. There was a good chance that she could _still _be dashed on the rocks.

Kelsey was debating whether it would be worth keeping the vessel floating or whether she should abandon her ship and swim for The Pearl before she was killed when one of the ropes still attached to the ship suddenly went taut. Kelsey frowned, but didn't allow herself to stop.

_If that's a shark on the end of that line, I swear to Disney…_

Seconds later, Eric's head appeared. He paused and took a deep breath as he clambered on deck. "Kelsey!" he cried as he coughed up more water. "You're safe!"

"Under the sea… CAN'T…Under the sea… TALK… Darlin' it's better, down where it's wetter… STEER!" Kelsey yelped. The ship bobbed up and down dangerously as she spoke.

Eric turned his attention to the helm that was spinning wildly. He sprang forwards and clutched it tightly. Kelsey felt her heart relax a fraction. One less thing for her to worry about. Now all she had to do was keep them (or more to the point, Eric) from drowning.

Even as she thought this, a massive wave rose up over them, soaking them both. Kelsey scowled, her task was clearly going to be harder than she thought. The waves were enough for her to worry about. It would be difficult maneuvering the vessel, nearly impossible. If she kept singing and didn't swallow too much water, she could do it, assuming that there were no more typhoon sized waves and that Ursula left them alone. Kelsey didn't like the odds.

A bright flash of light zoomed by the corner of her eye. Kelsey jumped as she struggled to follow the light. It was Ursula and the triton. She was firing from all directions, alternating her attention between Ariel, who was trapped in a vortex-like prison, and The Black Pearl, which was bobbing precariously in the waves.

"Kelsey!" Eric roared over the clash of lightning and the waves, "Can you keep this floating?"

Yes, the question is how long can I do it? Kelsey thought irritably. She really didn't have time to respond to Eric. "YES!" she yelped between lyrics, giving him the simple answer and returning her attention to the task at hand.

"Good," he responded, "Hang on!"

"WHAT?" Kelsey nearly toppled to the ground, thus sinking the entire vessel as Eric swung the helm about and turned them towards the mighty Ursula.

-888-

Ariel was trapped in a vortex of a prison. She scrambled about the sea floor as Ursula shot at her with the triton. It was like a child frying ants with a magnifying glass. Every once in a while Ursula would shift her focus from Ariel to the raggedy ship circulating around them in the mighty typhoon. Like she was toying with the ship. Taking her time bashing it across the sea before she would finally sink it.

Eric was glaring at her with a fury that Kelsey found frightening. She wasn't sure what plan Eric had, but Kelsey didn't care for their situation. If Ursula noticed them, she could sink them with flick of her hand. She wanted to scream at him, but she couldn't. If she did, they would both plummet to the ocean floor. She mentally prayed that whatever God watched over her in The Kingdom wouldn't abandon her today.

Sprouting off the bow of the ship was a broken spar of wood. It was splintered and sharply pointed. The way the ship was picking up speed, Kelsey didn't need to see the movie to know what Eric had in mind. Kelsey cringed, _what a horrible way to go!_

"Kelsey!" She heard Eric call over his shoulder as he suddenly turned the ship. Kelsey looked up at him. "If we live through this…" he said, "You have the support of the Royal Lands. Ariel and I will see it done!"

Kelsey let out an angry snort. She couldn't stop singing long enough to respond.

_That's a pretty big "if" right now._

-888-

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" Rob screamed from the deck of The Pearl. Will was struggling to get to his feet as Jack hurried to Elizabeth's side. Rob was dangerously leaning forwards on the deck.

He could see Kelsey standing on the deck of the sunken wreck, he could see Eric steering it, and most importantly he could see Ursula looming over all of them. "SHE'S FLIPPED!" Rob cried, "She's finally lost her mind! I knew it was bound to happen sooner or later, but did she have to choose NOW of all times to do it?"

"Give me that!" Jack snapped swiping back his crystal from Elizabeth's hand. He shook the blue crystal at her severely, "If you have try to commandeer MY vessel…"

"KELSEY!" Rob screamed suddenly.

Everyone turned about wildly and gazed in horror. The sharp point at the bow of the wreck had just stabbed Ursula through the stomach. The Sea Witch let out a howl of pain before she fell forwards, crashing onto the wrecked ship.

"No!" Rob cried in disbelief as the ship splintered into pieces. He could see Kelsey. She had stood there so focused on… something. When Ursula had fell forwards, she had been caught off guard. She looked startled, but only for a moment. The next move she made was towards Eric. But as she tried to move towards them, one of Ursula's wayward tentacles flew up. It struck her hard in the stomach and she was flung back into the black sea.

"KELSEY!" Rob yelped, "I have to help her!"

"But she can breathe…" Elizabeth began.

"Breathing underwater won't help her if she's crushed!" Rob cried, "Give me that!" Rob snatched the crystal from Jack's hands and climbed onto The Spirit. He jammed the crystal into the slot and slammed his hands onto the pad. The Spirit surged forwards crashing over the railing of The Pearl.

"ROB!" Jack yelped.

As Rob swept over the waves, skimming the water as he moved, the others stood there screaming for him to come back. He didn't pay them any attention. Instead, he focused on scanning the waters for Kelsey's goldenrod jacket. Panic gripped him when he didn't immediately spot her.

Suddenly, he caught sight of her. She was in the water, struggling as one Ursula's mighty tentacles wrapped tightly around her waist. It seemed that sea witch was determined to take at least one of her foes down with her. Rob settled The Spirit atop the waves, grateful that the Atlantean vehicle could float and plunged into the water.

He paddled towards Kelsey as quickly as he could. Kelsey glanced up at him in surprise and desperately gestured for him to go back. Rob shook his head stubbornly and swam closer and closer to his sister. He yanked the sword he had borrowed from Will free of its scabbard and slashed at Ursula's tentacle. The tentacle immediately broke and Kelsey drifted towards the surface.

The two siblings paddled towards the surface. Kelsey flopped onto The Spirit exhausted while Rob pulled himself onto the vehicle, a little bit more gracefully, but not much. He quickly ensured that Kelsey was still clinging to the vehicle and then took off, sending up a trail of water after them.

The typhoon was slowly fading away without Ursula. A large plume of black smoke circled above where she had fallen and the titans were already fading into the distance towards Greece. A strange sort of eerie calm had settled over the sea. The storm was over and another Thirteen member had been defeated.

-888-

"HOW DO YOU STOP? HOW DO YOU STOP?"

"Just take your hand off the…!"

CRASH!

Rob struck the foremast of The Pearl. The two slipped from the vehicle crashing onto the ground. A few seconds later and The Spirit toppled down besides them with a crash. Rob hit first with Kelsey landing on top of him a few seconds later.

"What were you thinking?" Rob cried sitting up painfully. "Seriously! I'm actually curious. When I write my memoirs explaining why I was driven to insanity there's going to be an ENTIRE chapter on you…HEY!" Kelsey had managed to sit up and she threw her arms tightly around Rob, knocking them both back down to the deck.

"I'm glad you're alright too, Rob," Kelsey smiled, "Thanks. I owe you."

Rob sighed and hugged her back, "You owe me _big_."


	12. Not the Hero

**The Great Disney Adventure III: Heroes and Villains**

**A Disney story by talking2myself**

**DISCLAIMER: **See Chapter 1.

Chapter. 12 Not The Hero

DISNEY GREECE

24 HOURS EARLIER

"You might feel just a little queasy, it's kinda natural. Why don't you sit DOWN!" Hades used his newfound strength to lift a massive dumbbell off the ground and slam it into Hercules. Hercules toppled to the ground feebly as Hades leered over him.

"Now you know what it's like to feel like everyone else," he sneered, "Isn't is just peachy?" Hades's face suddenly broke into a grin. "Oh! You'll _love _this!" While Hercules lay there pinned beneath the dumbbell, Hades returned to Meg's side.

"Meg babe, a deal's a deal," he paused and snapped his fingers, "You're off the hook!"

The smoke binds that were wrapped tightly around Meg's body instantly dissolved into the air. Meg gasped for breath as she was freed. Hercules struggled to get to his feet again.

"By the way, Herc," Hades added smugly as he pulled Meg into his arms and spun her around, "Is she not like a fabulous little actress?"

"Stop it!" Meg sighed as she pulled away.

Hercules gazed at the two of them in confusion, "What do you mean?"

"I mean youre little chickie-poo here, was working for me all the time," Hades said before pointedly adding, "Duh!"

Meg looked at Hercules helplessly. His whole face was wrung with agony. He shook his head in disbelief, "You're… you're _lying_!" he sobbed.

At that moment, two boys scampered out of thin air. Hercules recognized them immediately as the two boys that he rescued from a rockslide several days earlier.

"Help!" one cried in mock horror, faking a cough.

"Jeepers mister, you're really strong!" the other smirked. Suddenly, the two wickedly transformed into Hades's two minions, Pain and Panic. The two laughed cruelly and swung from his arms.

Hades grinned at Meg, "Couldn't have done it without you, sugar, sweetheart, babe!"

"No!" Meg cried rushing to Hercules's side, "It's not like that! I didn't mean to… I… I'm sorry!"

Hercules broke away from her toppling to the ground as everything he thought he knew about his world crumbled around him. Pain and Panic gleefully chased after him chanting, "A hero's a zero! A hero's a zero!"

Meg felt hot, helpless tears spring to her eyes. She wanted to run to Hercules's side. She wanted to wrap her arms around him and hold him as she wiped his tears away, but there was nothing she could do.

As she stood there, Hades had bounded into his chariot. "Well, gotta blaze! There's a whole cosmos out there with, hey, my name on it!"

Hades called out as he flew across the sky. "So much for the preliminaries and now off to the main event!"

-888-

Emma may have played a fearful child before, but she wasn't acting as the ship lurched and bounced about. Emma clung to Jackie and Alice and cried out in terror. Despite the two girls attempts to be brave, it wasn't long before they were crying out with her. All they could do was cling to each other until the waves calmed and the storm ceased.

Alice was the first to move, "Is it over?" she whispered.

Jackie's eyes popped open from behind her diamond spectacles. "I th-th-think so." She peered down at the child sitting half on top of her lap, half on top of Alice's. "Are y-y-you alright Emma?"

"Who me?" Emma piped blushing. She puffed herself up with a false sense of bravado, "I wasn't scared at all!"

BANG! BANG! BANG!

"EEK!" Emma wailed clinging to her new protectors again.

"It's Aaron," Alice said getting to her feet.

"Oh." Emma said sheepishly, "Him."

Alice and Jackie swept down the hallway to Aaron's makeshift prison. They had forgotten all about their prisoner during all the excitement. "I hope he's still alive after all that!"

Jackie pulled open the door.

"WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON UP THERE? I'VE BEEN FLYING AROUND THIS ROOM LIKE A PINBALL…"

Jackie slammed the door close and rolled her eyes, "He's st-st-still alive."

Alice sighed and pounded on the door. "Will you please be quiet! We're not entirely sure what happened, we're going to find out."

"GAH!" Aaron cried, "Throw me overboard! I'll be safer!"

"Keep it up and we just might!" Alice snapped, "Come on girls, let's go above and inspect the damage."

-888-

At that moment, Jack Sparrow was doing the very same thing. The Pearl had weathered many storms and come through fighting, but right now Jack was astounded that the ketch was afloat. Will and Rob had managed to free the ship from the ice, but not before the hull had suffered immense damage. The deck was soaked with water, the sails torn to shreds. And thanks to Rob's landing, the mast was halfway snapped.

Jack shook his head and summed up the situation with one word.

"Oy!"

"Why is there ice in the water?" Kelsey asked she gingerly got to her feet.

"Do you really not notice the frickin' ice titan?" Rob cried.

Kelsey's whole face paled and then her anger spiked once again, "No, Rob. I was a little distracted by the gigantic sea witch looming over me! What ice titan?"

"The one that Hades just released," Rob cried, "The ones that went that way." He pointed towards Greece.

"WHAT?" Kelsey groaned. She scampered to the edge of the ship, snatching a spyglass from Jack as she ran.

"Love!" Jack snapped as she bumped him.

"I can't see them anymore!" Kelsey cried, "They must be half-way to Greece by now! Damn! They're too fast."

"Kelsey…" Will sighed taking a step towards her.

"Turn the ship around!" Kelsey cried, "We need to head back to Greece." Will's shoulders slumped dejectedly.

"Love!" Jack snapped suddenly.

"I'll speed this up as much as I can," Kelsey said, not paying him any attention, "With the wind and waves on our side we should be okay."

"Love!"

"Just hang on tight everyone!" Kelsey insisted.

"LOVE!" Jack yanked on Kelsey's arm and pulled her back a few steps.

"What?" Kelsey sighed impatiently.

"Kelsey," he snapped, "Have you neglected to notice my ship?"

"I don't have time to notice your ship!" Kelsey snapped.

"Love!" Jack sighed, "LOOK!"

Kelsey turned around and as she did, the mast snapped and fell to the deck besides The Spirit as if to prove Jack's point.

Rob let out a sad sigh, "And not a roll of duct tape in sight."

Kelsey rolled her eyes and turned to Jack, "I know it will be difficult but if we put Will and I to work on repairs we can get it going!"

"That's insane!" Jack cried.

"Yes, but you're captain Jack Sparrow," Kelsey insisted, "You thrive on insanity!"

"Forcing my ship to move that fast would destroy it!" Jack cried, "We can barely _float _let alone sail!"

Kelsey let out a sad sigh, "It's just a ship, Jack."

"No!" Jack cried suddenly, "No, no! It's _not _just a ship! It's MY ship. A fact that you seem to have forgotten!"

"But we need to get to Greece!" Kelsey pleaded.

"Why?" Jack demanded.

Kelsey cried out desperately, "Because, we need to help Hercules!"

"Love," Jack sighed heavily, "Allow me to be frank…"

"Jack," Will cautioned.

"Pipe down, whelp," Jack snapped. Will clicked his jaw shut before Jack returned his attention to Kelsey. "Now tell me, Kelsey," he said coldly, "What do you suppose the Disney heroes of The Kingdom did _before _you came here?"

Kelsey didn't speak immediately. She didn't have an answer.

"They would go and save the day without your interference, _that's _what they would do!" Jack snapped, "You've assumed control of this vessel and for the most part I've allowed it, but this time I'm putting my foot down. This may be a Disney world, but it's NOT a Disney movie and you're NOT a Disney hero! You don't need to save EVERYONE!"

Kelsey stared at him for a moment in shock and hurt.

"Jack!" Elizabeth cried from behind them.

"It needed to be said!" Jack snapped. He caught sight of Kelsey's face and sighed. "You need to trust us, Unreal and Animated folks," Jack said gently, "We know what we're doing. We'll stick to the plan and try to begin repairs as best we can." Kelsey didn't say anything. She just stood there for a few moments as though she had been struck before she nodded curtly. She muttered something about going to look for a hammer and vanished below deck.

The others watched as she fled. She nearly crashed into Emma, Alice, and Jackie as they emerged from below.

"Kelsey!" Emma yelped happily. Kelsey distractedly ruffled Emma's pigtails was seemed quite eager to get away from the others.

Jackie was staring at awe at the half-destroyed ship. "W-w-what happened here?"

Rob let out a sigh of frustration, "Would you be referring to the titans, the sea witch, or the chewing out that Jack just gave Kelsey."

"Huh?" Jackie stared at them blankly.

"Her heart was in the right place, Jack," Will said gently, "Did you have to be so hard on her?"

"Her heart was in the right place when she blew your one chance at freeing her father," Jack snapped coldly, "I seem to recall you two being angry with each other for days."

Will frowned. Time hadn't completely healed all the wounds of that fight. The topic was still a sore subject that both Kelsey and Will had been avoiding like the plague in order to preserve their friendship. Unfortunately, Will saw Jack's point.

"We can't be afraid to tell her when she's wrong," Jack asserted, "That's the difference between heroes and villains. Heroes LEARN from their mistakes!"

"Oh for the love of God…!" Rob groaned, "I am so tired of these philosophical arguments about what it means to be a frickin' hero or villain!"

"Agreed," Sophia said stepping into the fray, "All of this talk is useless. We can talk all night while we sink to the bottom of the ocean or we can attempt to begin repairs."

"Very well then," Alice sighed, "We'd best begin."

"Right," Sophia said, "Just give me a moment to change out of these hideous clothes."

"Eh Ahem!" Will cleared his throat loudly. Sophia flushed bright red, forgetting just whose wardrobe she was wearing.

"But they look good on you Will.." she added sheepishly.

-888-

For the most part, Kelsey spent the rest of the day in relative silence. She helped work alongside the others, but she seemed quite subdued and kept glancing off at the horizon, towards Greece. Rob found himself wanting to say something, but it didn't seem like anything he could say would help. Kelsey wore her emotions openly on her sleeve. Whether she was happy or sad or frustrated everyone knew it. This new quiet Kelsey was disturbing. The absence of any sort of emotion was more unnerving than any fit she could have thrown.

Evening brought a new sense of calm over the ship. The only person who was still moving about was Sophia, who wouldn't get any sense of peace until the main deck was spotless. She sat there scrubbing away feverishly. Rob wondered whether she was that particular about the decks or if she just needed the physical exertion to drain of her of all the emotions bubbling inside her. Everyone was exhausted, physically and mentally.

Kelsey had disappeared again that evening. A long night of work had ensured that the mast had been repaired, but the sails were still torn into shreds and hung limply in the air. There would be no traveling tonight. The sails needed to be replaced and there were still numerous holes in the hull of the ketch. Kelsey had dragged The Spirit down below deck. The Spirit had suffered a lot of damage as well. He figured that Kelsey was attempting to fix the vehicle.

Rob stood on the deck alone. He paused there and took a deep breath of the clean night air. He just stood there staring up at the stars. He found Montressor right away. He grinned at the way it twinkled, bright and luminous like Alice's eyes. Rob shook his head. It was amazing how easy it was for everything and anything to remind him of Alice.

The soft sound of footsteps echoed behind him. Rob glanced up and saw Will stepping out onto the deck. "Shouldn't you be in bed?" Rob asked.

Will offered him a small tired smile. "Can't sleep. Even though my whole body wants to, I can't stop my mind from thinking."

"Elizabeth?" Rob asked.

"Drifted off a couple hours ago," Will said, "Jackie and Emma are asleep as well, but I think your lady is still wandering the corridors. Probably looking for you."

"Probably," Rob agreed, "How are your fingers?"

Will glanced down at his bruised hands. "I'll heal," Will shrugged, "It would have been much worse if you didn't come after me. I never got the chance to thank you properly."

Rob blushed at the praise and smiled, "Forget it."

"Not likely," Will smiled, "You Hatters are made of stern stuff."

"I'm not a hatter," Rob said, "But I see your point." Rob stared at the skyline and sighed, "I'm wondering if we're stern enough."

"You're worried about Kelsey?" Will asked mildly.

"Aren't you?" Rob asked.

"Yes," Will admitted. He joined Rob, leaning on the edge of the deck. "I can still remember the first time I met your sister. Jack and I literally fished her out of The Ocean."

"What was she doing out in The…?" Rob asked.

"I never did find out," Will interrupted "I feel as though the explanation would be far too exhausting to endure."

"Yeah, that's probably true," Rob admitted.

"She was so frightened," Will said, "She was stuck there in the middle of The Ocean, clinging to Emma and praying for a ship to pass by. I'm so used to seeing her cursing down villains, I sometimes forget that she was that girl in the water."

"I don't like seeing her like this either," Rob sighed, "It's this place! It changes people. Kelsey's a legend even Emma's building a reputation."

"Not to mention yourself," Will pointed out mildly.

Rob shrugged, "I'm getting there. But the girls have at least one adventure on me. We're all so different here. I just can't help but wonder… what will happen after all this?"

"What do you mean?" Will asked.

"I mean," Rob said, "Back home, my biggest concern was making it to level 12 on my videogame. Here, there are lives on the line. I have people depending on me, and… it's not all bad. I mean, don't get me wrong or anything, I don't like the fact that there are so many people in danger, but the responsibility isn't all bad."

Will smiled at him, "I don't know what your future holds, but I'm glad that Disney brought you and your sister to The Kingdom. You both have some purpose here."

"Thanks Will," Rob smiled, "I just wish that it were a little more obvious what I'm supposed to do."

"Only time will tell," Will shrugged, "Now, I'm going to give sleep another shot. Good night, Rob."

"Night Will," Rob murmured. He stood out there on the dock listening to the sounds of Sophia scrubbing away at the floor. He sighed and glanced up at the night sky as though the stars would provide the answer, but they were silent as they stared back down on the sleeping ship.

-888-

Kelsey had disappeared down below. Jack's words ripped into her skin like daggers, they hurt much more because she knew that everything he had said was true. Now she found herself questioning every move that she had ever made. A thousand voices were echoing in her head and she needed to silence them somehow. She couldn't take her inner confusion.

Kelsey sighed heavily as she looked over The Spirit. The vehicle had suffered a million dings and one fin was nearly torn off. "Wow," she sighed, "My poor baby what happened to you!"

"I was thrown around in this damn prison!"

Kelsey jumped at the voice. She turned around to see Aaron. In all honesty, she had totally forgotten about him. "Not you," she snapped.

"What happened?" Aaron demanded.

"Long story," Kelsey said curtly, "But your former organization is down a member."

Aaron looked nervous, "What do you mean?"

"Ursula's dead," Kelsey said, "Eric killed her."

"Oh," Aaron sighed, "Unfortunate for The Thirteen."

"No remorse for your former colleague?" Kelsey asked as she wiped a smudge off the hood of The Spirit.

"Not HER," Aaron admitted, "She and Yzma never particularly warmed up to me."

"Gee, that is SHOCKING," Kelsey snapped.

"You know you piss off just as many people as I do," Aaron snapped defensively, "Will, Jack, your brother... God, you make Sophia mad almost every day."

"I didn't realize we were keeping score," Kelsey snapped, "If this is another, 'You're a villain' speech, I'm warning you...!"

"It's not!" Aaron sighed, "Well, I mean we ARE, but I'm done trying to convince you of that." The two sat there in silence for a few moments before Aaron sighed heavily. "I heard some of your friends talking about what happened up there with Jack."

"And what's your point?" Kelsey demanded.

"Easy tiger!" Aaron snapped, "I'm trying to say, from a Villain's point of view, I don't think you acted like a villain right there. That doesn't mean I'm changing my stance on the role of Real people in the Kingdom, I just... thought it might cheer you up to hear that."

Kelsey eyed him suspiciously, "Did you hit your head when the ship was flying around?"

"Yes, about three times," Aaron grumbled, "But it's not a head injury talking if that's what you're getting at!"

"Why are you trying to cheer me up then?" Kelsey demanded.

"God! I don't know!" Aaron cried, "Forget I tried!" Aaron threw up his hands and crossed to the other side of his prison.

Kelsey let out a frustrated sigh before storming over to his prison. "Aaron," she snarled.

"What?" he snapped.

Kelsey groaned before muttering through gritted teeth, "Thanks."

"Yeah," Aaron sighed, "Whatever."

Kelsey let out a sigh and returned her attention to The Spirit. After all that, she STILL didn't know how to feel. In frustration, she tossed a tarp over The Spirit. She needed to go to bed and pray that things would look clearer in the morning.


	13. Becky's Revenge

**The Great Disney Adventure III: Heroes and Villains**

**A Disney story by talking2myself**

**DISCLAIMER: **See Chapter 1.

Chapter. 13 Becky's Revenge

"I'm not saying that the message didn't need to be said," Elizabeth said slowly to Jack. Her words were stretched out, just like her patience. It seemed as though Elizabeth was ready to throw all diplomacy to the wind and clobber Jack about the head until he started making sense. "I'm just saying that you didn't have to have such a… _cruel _delivery."

Jack rolled his eyes. For the past several hours, he had heard nothing but criticism from Elizabeth. The woman was absolutely insufferable and utterly stubborn. _The horse is dead, love. You can stop kicking it!_

Jack turned to Will who was sitting at his desk focusing on their map with great concentration. "You hearing all this, whelp?" he asked, "You hearing this and you still want to swear to love, honor and obey? This could be you in a few years!" Will pointedly ignored Jack. He was refusing to take part in the conversation, mostly for his own self-preservation. If he took sides, Will was doomed. All he would be able to decide would be who would do the deed, Elizabeth or Jack.

"Kelsey would not respond to polite suggestion," Jack snapped.

"She's civilized and quite logical," Elizabeth retorted, "She would have listened to reason."

"…Unless she thought her reasoning was better!" Jack responded, "She would thank you kindly for your advice and then turn around and do the opposite, just ask your beloved fiance about that." Will glanced up from the charts long enough to shoot Jack a glare.

"She thought it would be in the best interests for all of us and she acted," Elizabeth said.

"Exactly!" Jack snapped, "And you blighters let her do it! God, she treats us Unreal and Animated folks like a group of children!"

"I think that's fairly accurate with you," Elizabeth yelled, "God, Jack!" Elizabeth stormed out of the cabin in frustration. Jack plopped down into one of the chairs of his office. "The whole crew is going to pot." He turned to glare at Will, "Well? Ya gonna go talk her down?"

"No," Will responded curtly, not looking up from his charts.

"She's _your _fiancé!"

"She's _your _problem."

"What?"

Will let out a frustrated sigh and let his charts flop onto the desk. "This whole situation is your fault so you can go and fix it."

"What about Kelsey?" Jack snapped, "You agree with me don't you? That's why you're so quiet all of a sudden isn't it? You know I'm right."

Will glared at Jack, "I know that you're rehashing the memories of a fight that I would rather forget as it's still a painful subject for multiple persons on this ship. You've made the entire crew question Kelsey's judgment, including herself and me and you've provoked Elizabeth which means that the only person I can safely confide in on this entire ship is Rob. If our crew mutinies its because of you. You said it's your ship. Well, go fix it then!" Will angrily returned his attention to the charts and refused to look at him.

Jack groaned and then stormed after Elizabeth.

He flung open the door to the cabin and followed Elizabeth up the steps to the main deck. "Is this REALLY about Kelsey?" Jack demanded, "Or is there some elephant on the boat that I'm missing?"

Elizabeth drew a deep breath and let it out slowly, "I just thought that maybe SHE could be the one to get through to you."

"Get through to me?" Jack asked raising an eyebrow, "SHE needs to get through to ME?"

"She brings something out in you," Elizabeth said, "You're a good man, Jack. She magnifies that."

"Why do you care so much, love?" Jack asked, "Whether I'm a good man or a bad one? Did you ever think that you're seeing something that's not there?"

"It's there," Elizabeth insisted, "I know it is. That tiny spark of goodness is there, it's just got a lot of darkness to burn through."

"Again," Jack stated, taking a step closer to Elizabeth, "I ask. What difference does it make? Don't want to be associated with a pirate?" He gave Elizabeth a golden grin, "You were intrigued with me because I am what I am."

"_Intrigued _is a terrible word," Elizabeth said looking away from Jack's eyes.

"Yes, _captivated _is a much better word," Jack grinned, "You want to _be _me, which is why you want me to be good. So you can live with yourself."

"You're twisting my words, Jack!" Elizabeth cried, "I've never wanted anything…"

"Your eyes say otherwise," Jack pointed out, "You admire my freedom, my audacity. Won't find that in your precious William now will you?"

"Will is your friend!" Elizabeth snapped.

"Aye, and only God can understand why," Jack shrugged, "Two of us as different as rum and water."

"I want you to be a good man because I believe that you can be one," Elizabeth said, "Though you've been proving me wrong lately."

"Then, why don't you let me prove you wrong and let me go on my merry way?" Jack demanded.

"I just can't," Elizabeth sighed, "I can't explain it."

For a few moments, neither of them spoke. They just stared at each other in silence.

"Eh ahem!"

The two of them jumped as Sophia cleared her throat. "If this discussion is over, I would very much appreciate it if you got your filthy boots off my clean decks," she snapped.

"Beg pardon, Miss Cleaning-Banshee," Jack retorted before vanishing down below again. Elizabeth drew a deep breath and let out a sigh.

"My apologies, Sophia," she said gently.

Sophia heaved a sigh and followed Elizabeth as they strolled up the deck.

"You know," Sophia said as they walked by, "Rum may taste sweeter, but you can't go wrong with water."

"What?" Elizabeth asked.

"Rum," Sophia continued, "It tastes good in the moment, but you usually end up regretting it later. But you could drink water all day and it will only make you a better person."

"Sophia," Elizabeth said slowly, "Are you questioning my loyalty to Will?"

"I'm merely offering a friend some advice on her future choices," Sophia said curtly, "Cut back on the rum or you'll hurt the water.

"Sophia!" Elizabeth cried.

"I've heard enough tales about your island escapades," Sophia pointed out, "Don't make any foolish choices. I don't want to see him hurt again. Besides," she sighed looking around, "We have enough tension around here."

"I won't hurt him, Sophia," Elizabeth said, "I have absolutely no feelings for Jack. At least nothing beyond occasional disgust."

"I trust you completely," Sophia said curtly, "Now if you'll excuse me." She passed Elizabeth and made her way down the deck. Elizabeth stood there for a few seconds before rushing back to the cabin and planting a large kiss on Will's cheek.

"Eck!" Will cried as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "Eliza..blech!" Her arms tightened. "What are you doing dear?" he gasped.

"Just proving my love," Elizabeth murmured.

"You're what?"

"Nothing."

-888-

"Are you gonna beat up Jack?"

"Am I going to what..? OWWW!" Kelsey yelped as she brought her head up and smacked it hard on the underside of The Spirit of Atlantis. Kelsey was half-way underneath, examining beneath the fins and attempting to reattach them. She wasn't going to let the fact that she knew nothing about Atlantean mechanics get in the way.

"Are you gonna beat up Jack?" Emma asked again, "He wasn't very nice."

"Violence doesn't solve anything, Emma," Kelsey sighed.

"What about The Thirteen?" Emma asked smugly.

"Watch your mouth, wise guy," Kelsey retorted as she slipped out from underneath The Spirit.

At that moment, there was a loud rumbling noise in the distance, like thunder. Kelsey recognized it instantly. Cannon fire. "On no," she murmured.

"What was that?" Emma asked.

"If it's what I think it is then we got big trouble," Kelsey cried.

"I didn't do it!" Emma insisted.

"Rob!" Kelsey cried, "I'll feel a whole lot better if that turns out to be you playing with the cannon fuses."

"Speak for yourself!" Aaron grumbled from behind his prison door.

Kelsey glared at the door and banged on it roughly, "One more crack like that and you're shark bait!"

Kelsey scrambled above deck with Emma close on her heels. "Jack, what the… HIT THE DECK!" Kelsey threw herself and Emma to the ground. A cannonball bolted out of the mist and struck the side of The Pearl sending wooden splinters everywhere.

"Damn…" Kelsey whispered in disbelief. Kelsey scooped up Emma and scurried quickly across the deck. She struggled to keep low and held Emma tight to her chest. A few seconds later, Jackie scrambled to Kelsey's side.

"K-K-Kelsey, what d-d-do we…?"

"Here," Kelsey said, shoving Emma into her arms.

"Hey!" Emma cried, "I am NOT a football!"

"D-d-down below?" Jackie asked.

"Down below," Kelsey agreed.

"Hey!" Emma pouted, "Don't I get a say in this?"

"Go!" Kelsey urged shoving Jackie towards the steps.

Another cannon ball roughly struck the stern of the ship knocking Kelsey off her feet. She toppled over, crashing into someone else and taking them both down to the deck.

"Nice to see you too, Kelsey," Sophia grumbled before she shoved her away.

"What's going on?" Kelsey asked.

"Where's my godkid?" Sophia demanded at the same time.

"Below," Kelsey said quickly, "Now why is it raining cannonballs?"

"KELSEY!" Will skidded to a halt at Kelsey's side and tugged her to her feet. "There's an old friend of ours off the starboard side!"

"The Thirteen?" Kelsey asked in confusion, "How the hell did they find a ship?"

"Not them!" Will yelled, "Beckett!"

-888-

Lord Cutler Beckett stood on the deck of his ship, the HMS _Endeavour _and watched the scene unfold with a thin smirk on his face. He held a saucer and teacup and sipped from it daintily. "Lieutenant, remind me to pen Mistress Mim a letter once this is all over," he said to the man standing behind him. "It was most considerate of her to offer me this opportunity. Passing me the heart of Davy Jones and then scampering off so considerately so I didn't have to actually humor her own ideas."

It had been quite the turnaround for Beckett. After the bizarre little witch had taken her ball and flew home, Beckett's life had gotten considerably brighter. He'd taken to the seas and began eliminating pirate ships left and right. Soon they would all be gone, but even Beckett couldn't have predicted this lovely bonus. The Black Pearl, stuck in the middle of The Ocean. With Jack Sparrow and Kelsey Hatter aboard no doubt. It was almost too good to be true.

"Shall we sink it sir?" his lieutenant asked.

"Soon enough, soon enough," Beckett said dismissively, "We'll let them cringe for a few moments longer… and then we'll send Jones in. Their screams will reach the heavens."

"Yes sir," Beckett's man bowed at the waist before hurrying off to his duties.

Beckett returned his attention to the floundering ship. "It's been fun, my dear," Beckett remarked, "But I tire of these silly games." He paused long enough to take a sip of tea. "Adieu, Kelsey Hatter. Farewell forever."

-888-

"What the _hell _is Becky doing here?" Kelsey demanded furiously.

"We left quite the impression on him, apparently," Will remarked grimly.

"KELSEY!" Rob shrieked as he practically flew across the deck. His hand gripped Alice's tightly as she struggled to keep up with him. Her skirts billowed around her like one of the ship's sails. "EXPLAIN!"

"LOOK OUT!" Alice yelped pointing as another of the Endeavour's guns erupted. The cannonball struck the mast roughly and it toppled to the ground. Sailors scrambled out of the way as it crashed down onto the deck. Kelsey groaned.

"We JUST repaired that!"

"KELSEY!" Rob cried, "Who's shooting at us NOW?"

"It's Becky!"

"Who?" Rob asked in confusion.

"Lord Beckett!" Kelsey yelled.

"Beckett?" Rob cried and then groaned, "GOD, Kels! Is there a single villain in the entire Kingdom that you haven't pissed off?"

"JACK!" Kelsey called. She ran across the deck to the helm where Jack was standing. Rob pressed Alice's hand into Will's and scurried across the deck after her. "It's Beckett," Kelsey said, her former fight with Jack completely abandoned. "He's gaining."

"I know," Jack sighed in resignation, "It's a very fast ship."

"What do we do?" Kelsey asked, "_Captain_?"

"I suggest," Rob said, "That we follow the immortal words of Monty Python and RUN AWAAAAY!"

"We can't run," Jack sighed, "We'll be lucky if we can float."

"We're not going down without a fight!" Kelsey declared.

Jack set his jaw and nodded, "Won't be able to face any mother's son who calls himself a pirate if I lose me ship to Lord Becky."

-888-

"Seriously, don't you get sick of hiding?" Emma cried as Jackie clambered down the steps with Emma tightly wrapped in her arms. "Don't you ever want to rebel? Ever want to free the beast inside?"

"N-n-not even a little bit!" Jackie replied.

"Gah!" Emma groaned, "You're not helpful!"

"HELP!"

"W-w-was that Aaron?" Jackie cried.

"You're losing focus!" Emma interrupted, "You were just about to bring me back up so I can help fight whoever's shooting at us…"

"Shh, b-b-be quiet, Emma," Jackie shushed putting Emma back on the ground.

"Aaron?" she called out, "Is th-th-that you?"

-888-

Aaron sat in the corner of the prison. His time in prison had not completely erased his blazing indignant anger at Kelsey and her crew for imprisoning him, but it had lowered it down to a low simmer. There was something strangely comforting about his little cell. Partly was the fact that it didn't appear that the crew believed in capital punishment. In fact, with all of the excitement going above deck, it seemed like his prison was one of the safer places aboard the ship.

Or at least, that's what he thought BEFORE the ship started rocking… yet again.

"AGAIN?" Aaron cried in disbelief.

Suddenly, there was a blast that rocked the entire cabin with unbridled fury. Aaron was roughly chucked into the wall and covered in a windfall of wood. "Dammit!" he swore as he struggled to get to his feet. He gingerly placed a hand to his ribcage and winced as shots of pain raced up and down his abdomen. Aaron struggled to stand upright, but as he moved he heard a strange sloshing noise.

Aaron felt an icy cold hand clutch his insides as he realized where the noise was coming from. Aaron was below the level of The Ocean and up near the corner of his ceiling was a large crack, certainly an affect of the last cannonball that had struck the ship. The entire cabin was rapidly filling up with water.

"No!" Aaron cried in disbelief, "No! No! Stop!" Aaron waded slid across the wet floor and struggled to hold a spar of wood against the hold. Jets of water squirted around the piece of wood. Aaron had slowed the damage, but it wouldn't be long before it rose up above his knees.

There was a rough cracking noise and the wood split in Aaron's hands. Aaron scrambled back to the opposite wall, slipping on the wet floor as he ran. He struggled to tug the door open, but it held tight. _Of course, it's a _prison _door_, Aaron thought bitterly, _What did you expect?_

Aaron banged his fists against the door. "HELP!" he screamed, "SOMEBODY HELP ME!"

"Aaron it th-th-that you?"

It's up to the mouse to save me? Great. "Who else would it be?" Aaron snapped, "Jackie, there's a hole in the wall! You gotta get me out of here before I drown!"

Jackie's mouth hung open. "D-d-don't worry!" she cried, "I'll f-f-find a w-w-way to get you out!"

"Hurry!" Aaron shrieked, the water level was rising up past his ankles.

"Oh n-n-no! Oh no!" Jackie cried, "Emma! W-w-we need to find s-s-something either heavy or sh-sh-sharp."

"Right," Emma agreed, "I'll check Kelsey's room!"

"Emma!" Jackie cried, "Th-th-that won't work!"

"You're right," Emma said, "Elizabeth might have something more deadly."

"Emma, I w-w-was being serious!" Jackie insisted.

"Who's joking?" Emma said.

"F-f-fine," Jackie sighed, "Aaron? W-w-we'll get you out of there! C-c-can you hang on?"

Aaron looked at the rising water levels around him and cringed.

"Not for long."


	14. Adieu

**The Great Disney Adventure III: Heroes and Villains**

**A Disney story by talking2myself**

DISCLAIMER: See Chapter 1.

Chapter. 14 Adieu

"Okay, everyone!" Kelsey yelled over the loud crash of another cannon volley, "Do not panic! Panic will sink this ship faster than any of those cannonballs. I need everyone to go against every logical impulse and remain calm!" Present company included, she thought miserably.

"What do we do?" Rob asked, "We can't sail away. We can barely fire back and that's barely tickling them. We could make cruel jokes about their mothers and that would probably hurt them more than our arsenal."

"Maybe if I send a couple tidal waves their way, that'll scare them off," Kelsey commented, "Couple of sparks wouldn't hurt either."

"The Endeavour is coming up fast," Jack said, "Though they appeared to have stopped firing on us. Looks like Becky wants to talk."

"Somehow I doubt that he's apologizing," Kelsey grumbled.

"Ahoy Captain Hatter," Beckett's smug voice echoed out from the other side. The vessel had arrived at their side. Beckett was just a few feet away from her, but they didn't even have the necessary gunpowder to shoot him. That knowledge was absolutely infuriating.

"The powder from that wig of yours must be fogging up your brain, Becky," Kelsey called out, "Jack Sparrow is the captain of this vessel."

"Yes, but I want to discuss this matter with you," Beckett continued, "As it concerns your immediate future. You can spare your little ship a lot of hardship if you simply come aboard my vessel."

"You never were my type, Becky," Kelsey snapped.

"Not at all," Becky agreed, "But having The One Who Walks Between Two Worlds and the Book of Songs aboard my vessel is a very attractive notion."

"So you can use me as a weapon against the entire Kingdom?" Kelsey responded angrily.

"I invoke the captain's right to intervene in this discussion," Jack snapped, "As The One is currently standing on MY vessel, I count her as part of the ship and I don't make a habit of chucking valuables overboard."

"Very well then," Beckett shrugged, "We'll either pluck her from the wreckage or if things go… less than smoothly… we'll sink her to the bottom of the sea." Beckett smiled at them, "I'm suddenly overwhelmed by a feeling of generosity."

"Really?" Kelsey snapped, "I'm suddenly overwhelmed by a feeling of nausea."

"Hmmph," Beckett rolled his eyes, "I see you're familiar with the old pirate tradition of the exchange of insults before a battle."

"Learned from the best," Kelsey smiled at Jack despite the situation, "Mr. Gibbs once told me that these contests can go on for hours depending on the creativity of the captains. Since you're involved I imagine this will be a relatively short affair."

"I prefer to allow my cannonballs to speak for me," Beckett commented, "Last chance Hatter. Jump ship or sink with it."

Kelsey stood there resolutely. She crossed her arms, "I'll take my chances."

"Pity," Beckett shrugged, "We could have changed the world."

"There's nothing wrong with this world. And that's no world that I would ever want to be a part of," Kelsey said.

Beckett rolled his eyes and turned back towards his cabin, "Adieu Mademoiselle Hatter."

*"Brûle en enfer, Capitaine Becky," Kelsey spat angrily. Beckett whirled around and gaped at Kelsey. Kelsey smirked and bobbed a curtsey. Beckett rolled his eyes and vanished into his cabin.

"Three years of French lessons just paid off," Kelsey sighed, "Totally worth it." She sighed and turned to Jack, "You signed your death warrant you know."

"Aye," Jack sighed, "But I would have to kill myself anyways if I ever agreed to help Becky. Same result, but I look "noble" and impressive if I go down fighting."

Kelsey smiled, "If we're going down, let's take as many of them with us as we can."

Jack grinned, "I knew we'd make a pirate out of you sooner or later."

-888-

"That impudent wench!" Beckett scowled under his breath.

"Captain!" one of Beckett's cried. "Shall we blast them?"

"No, no," Beckett insisted. A small, evil smirk quirked across his face. "Why deny Jones his fun? Send him in… and his pet."

-888-

Aaron was trembling all over from fear and cold. The water level had risen up to his midriff. He banged feebly against the door again, "Jackie!" he begged, "HURRY!"

"I'm trying Aaron!" Jackie yelled back as Emma appeared in the hallway.

"I can't find anything to break the door down!" Emma piped, "Elizabeth and Kelsey must have their swords with them."

"W-w-what about W-w-will's room?" Jackie asked. She didn't wait for a response. She hurried past Emma down the hallway to Will's room.

"Jackie!" Aaron wailed. His voice was getting more panicked and shrill from yelling and pleading.

"She'll be right back, Aaron!" Emma yelled back.

"It's up to my chest now!" Aaron yelped, "We don't have much time!"

"Just hang on!" Emma encouraged.

Jackie threw open the door to Will's room. She quickly rummaged through Will's sparse belongings mentally vowing to apologize to him later for the reckless invasion. Will's swords were nowhere to be seen. He had several, but it seemed that he had been forced to lend them out to Kelsey and Elizabeth. Jackie frowned and searched more. Then, her eyes fell on something else. Will's blacksmith tools. It looked like a sort of hammer and an ax. Perfect.

Jackie scooped up the tools and then staggered under their weight. She frowned, Will hefted the two like they weighed less than air. She stumbled back to the cabin and dropped them on the ground. "Hang on Aaron!" she yelled, "I'm c-c-coming!"

-888-

All hands on deck were staring at The Endeavour anxiously. Rob cocked his head to one side curiously. "We should be a wild reckless blaze of final glory by now," he commented. Alice quirked an eyebrow at him. "Don't get me wrong!" Rob insisted, "I'm glad we're not a blaze of final glory, but you gotta admit… it's weird. They should be blasting us," he turned to Kelsey, "Why aren't they blasting us?"

"I don't know," Kelsey said, "It IS weird. The ship is sailing away. WHY is he sailing away?"

"We could take this as a sign of good fortune," Sophia pointed out, "Maybe he enjoys chasing us too much to blast us?"

"He'd enjoy blowing me to bits way more than he enjoys chasing me," Kelsey pointed out, "The only way I'd stop is if I had something really nasty planned for…" Kelsey trailed off. "Jack…" she said slowly turning towards Jack, "What does he have planned for me?"

"Wish I knew, love," Jack shrugged.

At that moment, the entire ship halted. Sophia took a bumbling step forwards. "What the…? Did we hit a reef?"

"Not sure," Gibbs stated. He moved towards the railing, but suddenly he froze in his tracks. Kelsey turned around in stared in mute horror as a long tentacle rose up above the deck. "Miss Sophia," Gibbs gulped, "That is NOT a reef!"

"It's the kraken!" Will shrieked. Crew members scattered as the tentacle crashed onto the ship rocking the entire decks dangerously.

Kelsey groaned, "Just once it would be nice if something could be easy!"

-888-

"Okay Aaron!" Jackie called as she struggled to lift Will's hammer over her head. "I'm c-c-coming in! Stand b-b-back!" Aaron sloshed a few paces away from the door and stared at the door anxiously. Jackie's arms ached under the weight of the blacksmith's hammer, but whirled around once or twice before striking the door. Reverberations ran up through Jackie's arms painfully as the head of the hammer struck the door. Jackie scowled at the tiny dent that was left in the door, the only real damage that her blow had caused.

"Hurry!" Aaron wailed.

"Shut up!" Jackie yelped gripping the hammer again and swinging at the door in frustration. Fire stabbed at her wrists and hands as the hammer made contact. This time the wood splintered and a hole appeared. Jackie felt a small feeling of relief. She lowered the hammer and shook her pained hands before regaining her grip. She swung again striking the wood with a satisfying CRACK!

The hole in the door was large enough for her to fit her hand through. She poked her thin arm inside and instantly felt water. A stream of it was pouring out of the hole that she had caused. "Aaron?" she cried in a panicked voice.

She felt Aaron's icy fingers grip hers. "I'm here, but it's up to my neck! I'm gonna have to start holding my breath soon!"

"I'm almost th-th-through!" she announced, "hang on!"

She dropped the hammer roughly and picked up Will's ax. As she did, the entire ship rocked roughly to one side. Emma toppled over into her and the two stumbled to the floor.

On the other side of the door. Aaron slipped and fell forwards into the water. Choking and sputtering for air. Aaron staggered to his feet again and howled for Jackie. "HURRY!"

"What was that?" Emma asked. Jackie didn't have the time to answer. Instead, she gripped the ax and began to roughly chop away at the door. As she did, water spewed out of the room, filling the hall around her and soaking her dress and hair. Emma let out a cry of alarm and leapt backwards at the sudden surge.

"There!" Jackie cried triumphantly, "Aaron! C-c-come through!"

Aaron threw himself through the hole in the door and flopped onto the wet door besides them as the water rushed out the door and over them. He lifted himself off the ground on his hands and coughed up more water as Jackie knelt besides him.

"Are y-y-you okay?" she asked.

"Fine," he murmured, spitting up a mouthful of water. "But we have a situation! This ship is sinking! Come on! We need to tell Kelsey!" He grabbed Jackie's hand and dragged her up the steps with Emma close behind.

-888-

"I'll be your candle on the water!" Kelsey sang quickly. She thrust her hand forwards and shot a blast of fire from her hand. The blast struck the Krakken's tentacle before it struck the deck again. The tentacle recoiled in pain before it slid off the deck and back into the sea.

"What the hell is going on?" Kelsey demanded, "Since when is Beckett Thirteen material? I thought they were a little more particular than that."

"Apparently him and Jones have gotten cozy fairly recently," Sophia muttered irritably.

"Till every wave is warm and bright!" Kelsey sang quickly as another tentacle snaked around one of the remaining masts. She was too slow and the tentacle snapped the mast in its grip.

"Dammit!" Kelsey growled, "Will! We could really use a plan right now!"

"Working on it," Will snapped, "Pull the grates! Put all the gunpowder onto the net in the cargo hold!" The crew members scrambled to do Will's bidding while Will passed a rifle to Elizabeth, "Whatever you do, don't miss!" he said seriously.

"As soon as you're clear," Elizabeth nodded.

"There's only half a dozen kegs of powder," Gibbs pointed out.

"Then load the rum!" Will cried in exasperation.

Gibbs and a few other men exchanged dismayed looks before Gibbs sighed, "Aye the rum too."

"Load the rum?" Rob cried in disbelief as Kelsey helped lift some of the gunpowder into the net, "That makes no sense whatsoever! That's absolute madness! No scientific sense at all…"

"Disney movie, Rob," Kelsey snapped shoving a rum bottle into Rob's hands and pulling out the cannon.

Rob rolled his eyes, "Sorry, I forgot."

The pirates quickly scrambled about on the deck while Jack anxiously kept a lookout for Jones's ship. So far he couldn't see him, but he assumed that Jones wouldn't forget about him or his debt.

Suddenly, the crew heard a loud thud. Marty, the smallest member of their crew, summed it up in one scared sentence. "Not good."

Not good indeed. The krakken's tentacles flared out again striking the ship roughly and causing it to shake dangerously again. Kelsey feared for a few dreadful seconds that the entire ship would fall apart in the Krakken's tight grasp.

"HEAVE!" Gibbs ordered, "Heave like you're being paid for it!"

Pintel and Raggetti hopped to do Gibbs's bidding just in time. Another tentacle shot out and snatched a crew member before dragging it back under. The two cringed and heaved harder.

As the net rose, Will clung to the net slashing at the Krakken's tentacles with his sword. "Shoot!" he roared, "Elizabeth shoot!"

Elizabeth froze for a few seconds waiting for Will to clear the net. As she did, a tentacle snaked around her ankle and nearly pulled her over. Elizabeth screamed as she went down, dragged across the deck. Pintel and Ragetti heard her screaming and immediately scrambled to her side. Chopping away at the tentacle. As they did, Jack gripped the gun and aimed at the gunpowder.

"Ready?" Will yelled. The former blacksmith didn't wait for an answer, "FIRE!"

"FIRE!" echoed Elizabeth.

"FIRE!" Kelsey and Rob hollered caught up in the thrill of the moments. Jack fired the gun. His aim was true and seconds later the cargo net exploded wildly. There was what sounded like a shriek of pain from somewhere down beneath the surface. The tentacles flailed in the air knocking aside sailors and crewmen right and left. The ship rocked back and forth dangerously for a few moments. Kelsey clung to Alice and Rob and prayed for the fray to be over soon. Seconds later. The water was still again.

"Did we kill it?" Kelsey heard Marty ask Gibbs in a small voice. Kelsey brought her head up slowly and loosened her grip on Alice and Rob.

"No," Gibbs said nervously, "We just made it angry. We're not out of this yet."

"Great," Rob groaned, "Another "villain" that's mad at you!"

"Actually, that thing was mad at me before this," Kelsey said sheepishly, "Slight incident involving Ursula the first time I arrived." Rob groaned again flopping his head in his hands.

"K-K-KELSEY!"

At that moment, Jackie, Emma, and Aaron staggered up the steps onto the deck. Aaron was completely soaked and Emma and Jackie were pale as ghosts. Emma threw herself into Kelsey's arms and let out a small cry.

"This place was way less scary the first time, Kelsey," she babbled.

"What the hell?" Aaron cried looking around at the wreckage. "Everytime I come up here it looks worse!"

"What are you doing out of your cell?" Sophia demanded. Suddenly, she realized that Aaron was drenched in water. "Why are you all wet?" she asked in a scared voice.

"We sprung a leak," Aaron snapped, "Big leak! This whole ship is sinking!" Kelsey clung tighter to Emma and for a few dreadful seconds no one spoke.

"Captain!" Gibbs cried turning to Jack, "Orders!"

Everyone turned to look at Jack. Kelsey had never seen Jack so melancholy. He stood there, shoulders slumped, the rifle still in his hands. He paused for a moment and looked around at the ship which was mostly a floating wreck, the ship that had once been worth killing for, his freedom and his pride. "Abandon ship," he said sadly, "Into the longboat."

"But Captain…!" Gibbs cried, "The Pearl!"

Jack sighed heavily, "She's only a ship, mate."

Kelsey's own words echoed in her ears and suddenly she felt horrible. "Jack…" she said gently placing a hand on his shoulder but not knowing what to say.

"He's right," Elizabeth interrupted, "We must get to land."

"It's a lot of open water," Pintel murmured.

"Lot of water," Ragetti agreed.

"We have to try," Will murmured faintly, "We can get away when it takes down The Pearl." Kelsey saw Jack's face contort in pain as Will spoke.

Gibbs sighed heavily, "Abandon ship. Abandon ship or abandon hope."

"Where's The Spirit?" Kelsey demanded, "She's banged up, but she can hold a few people. That'll be the safest place."

"Over there," Sophia pointed out. The two women hauled it forwards. Kelsey squeezed Emma tightly before putting her onto the ship. "Emma, you go with Alice and Jackie. I want you guys out of here as quickly as possible."

"But what about you?" Emma asked.

"I'll go with the rest of the crew," Kelsey said, "I'll be in the boats. Don't worry. Jackie, Alice, all aboard."

"Hang on tight," Sophia advised, "That thing has a mind of its own."

"You too, Sophia," Kelsey interrupted, "Move it!"

"Excuse me?" Sophia demanded.

"You're going ashore as well," Kelsey said, "So is Tink if I can find her. Tinkerbell! Tink! Where are you?"

"No!" Sophia insisted as Rob gave Alice a quick peck on the cheek before she settled behind Jackie and Emma. "I'm not just going to leave you alone on a sinking vessel!"

"It's only for a few minutes and I won't be alone," Kelsey grumbled. At that moment, Tinkerbell appeared at Kelsey's shoulder. "Ah!" she sighed with relief, "There you are. You stay with Emma, we're abandoning the ship."

"I'm not going!" Sophia declared. Kelsey sighed heavily.

"Sophia, your duty is to protect Jackie, not me." Sophia paused and turned to look at Jackie who was watching the two of them with big worried eyes.

Sophia grumbled and then turned to Kelsey, "If you die, I will go to the hereafter drag you back and clobber you back to death. Understand?"

Kelsey smiled, "Understood, Sophia. Now go."

Sophia sighed as she settled on the end of The Spirit. Kelsey pressed her crystal into the slot and the vehicle flared to life. Emma waved at Kelsey as they disappeared into the horizon.

"Kelsey!" Will cried, "Hurry! Grab what you need and let's go!"

Kelsey nodded and double-checked that The Book was still safe in her coat pocket next to her iPod and several other knickknacks that Kelsey had accumulated over the years. The brooch that the seven dwarves had given her, the shell that Ursula had worn in her necklace, the green shreds of her old hat, the map of the kingdom that she had swiped from Jack all of these were stuffed into various pockets of the goldenrod coat that she had received from the original mad hatter. Clipped to her belt was the sword and sheath that Will had lent her all these years ago and never reclaimed.

"I'm ready," she said. She turned towards Aaron and Rob. "Come on guys, all aboard."

Rob and Aaron followed Kelsey as they crawled into the last boat. The only man left on the boat was Jack. He paused for a moment and ran his hand up and down the remaining mast as though he were saying goodbye to a good friend. He let out a sad sigh. Kelsey frowned and decided to allow him his moment.

-888-

"Thank you Jack."

Jack jumped at the sound of Elizabeth's voice. He turned towards her with sad eyes. "We're not free yet, love," he pointed out glumly.

Elizabeth took several steps towards him, gazing into his eyes. "I always knew you were a good man," she whispered. Suddenly, she threw her arms around him and pulled him into a warm kiss.

As Will was about to step into the boat, he froze for a moment and stared at Elizabeth in disbelief. She was kissing Jack! Jack again! A million doubts that Will had thought that he had put to bed suddenly surged forwards. He stood there gaping and horrified unable to speak or act.

"Come on, Will step to!" Gibbs suddenly cried, breaking Will out of his trance. Will scurried down the steps anxiously. Kelsey caught the strange expression on his face and gave him a questioning look, but Will said nothing.

Jack was surprised, but he was enjoying the kiss, until he heard a strange clanking noise. Jack looked down and realized that he was shackled to the mast. Elizabeth was staring at him intently.

"It's after you, not the ship," she said, "This is the only way, don't you see?"

"Pirate," Jack accused.

Elizabeth didn't say anything else. She just turned away and scrambled down the ladder into the longboat.

-888-

Will was glaring at Elizabeth as she clambered aboard. "Where's Jack?" he asked curtly. Silent fury was burning behind his eyes. Elizabeth's eyes went to the bottom of the longboat. "He elected to stay behind to give us a chance."

"What?" Kelsey cried in disbelief. The rest of the crew looked equally surprised, even Will's expression softened.

"Go!" Elizabeth cried in frustration, her eyes filled with tears. The longboat cast off, but everyone looked anxious.

"No!" Kelsey interrupted, "Are you insane? We can't just leave him. He'll die!"

"It's what he wants," Elizabeth insisted.

"I don't care!" Kelsey cried out in distress.

"Kelsey…" Rob said gently.

"No!" Kelsey cried standing up in the longboat and causing it to tip back and forth. "He wouldn't let me sacrifice myself for the team and I won't let him."

Aaron quickly clutched her arm, "What are you doing?" he cried.

Kelsey jerked her arm back and glared at Aaron, "Proving that I'm NOT a villain!" Kelsey leapt nimbly into the air, rocking the tiny boat.

"Kelsey!" Rob screamed, "NO! Come back!"

-888-

"Bugger, bugger, bugger, bugger, bugger, bugger!" Jack scowled as he tried to break the manacles. He scooped up his sword and tried hacking away at it to no avail. A few seconds later, Kelsey landed nimbly on the deck. "Kelsey!" he cried, "Get off the…"

"Shut up, Jack," Kelsey interrupted, "Not without you." She picked up one of the lanterns and broke it over the mast. The oil rolled down onto his wrists, slicking them up enough for Jack to slip his wrists out of the manacles. "We're free!" Kelsey cried.

At that moment, the massive mouth of the krakken opened in a large roar.

"Oh," Jack said in surprise. He wiped a trail of slime off his face. He picked up his hat and placed it on his head as the two gazed into the mighty maw of the kraken.

"I always knew you would do something to get me killed, Jack," Kelsey said softly.

"Love…" Jack sighed, "I didn't want."

"I know," Kelsey said calmly, "I'll see you at the beginning of the next chapter."

"Next chapter," Jack smiled, "Can't wait."

The two stared at the Krakken as it came racing towards them. "Hello Beastie," Jack smiled. The two of them drew their swords and raced forwards as Kelsey, Jack and the Pearl were devoured in one horrid move.

Meanwhile, the ship bobbed in The Ocean as their friends watched in sheer terror. For a moment, no one spoke and then the world dissolved into the white sound of Rob's anguished scream.

***translates to "Burn in bell, Captain Beckett"


	15. Requiem for a Hatter

**The Great Disney Adventure III: Heroes and Villains**

**A Disney story by talking2myself**

DISCLAIMER: **See Chapter 1.**

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Oh my goodness, I realize this is really late. I have been in finals HELL lately which is why this is so late. I will make this up and try to get another chapter or something soon. One thousand apologies.**

**Chapter 15. Requiem For a Hatter**

THE FORBIDDEN MOUNTAIN

EARLY 1940s

Melena stumbled into her master's castle struggling to catch her breath. She slammed the heavy, wooden door closed behind her, nearly clipping Mim who was running alongside her. Mim pressed a hard to her heart and struggled to breathe. Even though the two of them had unnatural skin colors, Melena was light green while Mim was violet, the two of them had both bleached as pale as a ghost. "Melly," Mim murmured in disbelief, "That… that was awful…"

"Hush!" Melena ordered violently, "I told you not to call me that!"

"Why?" Mim demanded, "Melena is your name."

"Maleficent! Call me Maleficent! No one will bow to a leader named Melena," she snapped, "That sounds like some sort of a princess name, not a witch's!"

Mim nodded distractedly. She had slunk to the ground, her back pressed against the door. She drew her legs to her chest and was rocking back and forth. "It killed them! It killed them all!" she whispered in horror, "Just tore them apart like they were rag dolls!"

"Shut up, Mim!" Melena screamed, "Just shut up!" She wrapped her slender arms around her ragged robes and shivered. At that moment, the doors to the entry way of the castle flung open with a mighty wind. Standing framed in the light of the throne room's doorway was Melena's master, The Horned King.

"Mimorka," he hissed coldly, "I believe your Mistress, The Queen, will be looking for you." Mim's eyes widened in fear.

"N-n-not really," Mim said quietly. "She probably hasn't even realized I'm gone, your majesty."

Melena rolled her eyes. It was true, and somewhat pitiful. The Queen had never been too keen on taking on an apprentice, let alone the strange purple girl who had wandered down from The Kingdom With No King. The Queen pretty much kept Mim locked up in her tower along with the queen's foolish rhyming mirror. She supposed that t Mim had gone a little bit insane after being cooped up there for so long. Her magic was always subpar compared to Melena's because The Queen didn't spend much time training her. Her "friendship" with the odd little witch was something born out of pity, that is if were capable for Melena to feel such an emotion.

"Away with you!" The Horned King yelled at Mim, "GO!"

"Of course, sir," Mim said quickly. She shot Melena an apologetic look before scurrying out the castle door.

The Horned King took a few steps towards Melena before gripping her arm and tossing her roughly into the wall. Melena struck the wall hard and groaned. "What did I tell you?" The Horned King demanded coldly.

Melena moaned in pain before pulling herself upright. The Horned King gripped her collar and pulled her upright. "WELL?" he roared.

"You told me not to go," Melena admitted, "You told me it would be horrible! You were right!"

The Horned King sighed heavily behind the dark cowl of his robe and dropped her roughly on the ground. Melena groaned against before gingerly gripping her arm. "What did you see?" he asked quietly.

Melena straightened herself painfully, her ribs and arm ached fiercely from where she struck the wall, but such was the price of disobedience. "It… it was terrible. The three sorcerers. They managed to summon Chernabog, but… but one didn't even survive. He exhausted himself trying to fuel the summoning with his magic. And then that… that thing… he… he… he burst out of the mountain. He scooped up the two sorcerers and he just snapped their necks like…" Melena paused for a moment and then completely broke down and sobbed.

The Horned King turned and placed his hands gently on her shoulders. "I imagined something like that would happen. That coup was flawed from the beginning."

"Yen Sid was right," Melena managed to sniff between her sobs, "They didn't stand a chance. Chernabog, that's what the townsfolk are calling him."

"Black God," The Horned King sighed, "Well, this is regrettable, but they achieved the effect we desired. Chernabog has been unleashed."

"But what good is it if we can't control him?" Melena cried wildly in disbelief, "what are we going to do when the town isn't enough for him?"

"Calm yourself!" The Horned King ordered, "We'll wait. The Wizard's Circle has been destroyed. Yen Sid and his other wizards will rally against this creature. If they succeed, many will fall and we can take over once it is done."

"And what if they don't succeed?" Melena cried.

"Yen Sid is very powerful," The Horned King insisted, "He'll send that monster back where it came from."

"But what if he doesn't?" Melena wailed.

"We'll stage our own invasion," The Horned King said, "we'll summon all of the sorcerers The Kingdom has to offer, and we will be able to control him. But in order for that to work, we need to increase your training."

"Yes sir," Melena said, calming down a fraction, "Of course."

"It will be up to you and your friend, Mimorka," The Horned King mused.

"Mim is NOT my friend," Melena snapped, "I don't have friends! I have pawns!"

The Horned King turned his skull-like face towards Melena, "Ah, my dear apprentice, I've trained you so well, Maleficent."

-888-

THE PRESENT

THE OCEAN

For a moment, Will was too stunned to move. Rob was still screaming. A horrible sound that Will would never be able to forget, no matter how hard he tried. He just stared at the wreckage of The Pearl plunging down beneath the waves, taking Jack and Kelsey with it. A small cry from Elizabeth broke his reverie. It looked as though she wanted to scream, but couldn't muster the energy.

"GUYS!"

A sharp cry from above, was enough to bring Will's sluggish mind back to the present. Sophia had shoved her way forwards and managed to find a way to drive The Spirit. Obviously, she didn't know about Kelsey and Jack yet. Will felt sick, violently sick at the thought of explaining it to her and the others. His eyes blurred over and he almost felt like toppling over in the boat.

"WILL!" Sophia yelled. Will lifted his head slowly. "For the love of Disney get that boat out of here before Jones blows you all to smithereens!" Will turned his head slowly and peered out at the fuzzy vision of the Flying Dutchman coming at them.

"What's your problem?" Sophia demanded, "Where's Kelsey?"

Will suddenly realized that his vision was blurred not because of his imagination but because of the tears running from them like a faucet turned on full force. Will ran his sleeve quickly over them and forced himself to act.

"S-s-Sophia," Will stammered, his voice trembling, "I need your help to get us out of here." Will deliberately avoided Sophia's question. His hands shook so badly he could barely grip the rope that lay coiled in the deck of the boat. He tossed it up to Sophia who managed to catch the end of it.

"Tie this to The Spirit and fly as close to the water as you can," Will ordered, moving like he was a robot on autopilot. His hands wouldn't stop shaking as he tied the rope to the bow of the ship.

"What's wrong with Rob?" he heard Alice's panicked voice yell over the noise. "Why is he screaming? Is he hurt?"

"GO!" Will ordered, his voice breaking and tears filling up his eyes once more. Elizabeth reached out a gentle hand to comfort him, but Will jerked out of her grip. "Hang on," he ordered, hurt and venom in his voice.

Sophia swooped down nearly plunging into the water. Will gripped Rob with one arm and clung to the side of the longboat with the other. Rob's voice was getting hoarse with exhaustion and was now breaking down into a series of choking sobs. The boat suddenly lurched forwards as they sped up and away from the horrible scene of The Pearl sinking to the bottom of The Ocean, like a coffin sinking into the grave.

-888-

"This had better be good!" Hades growled as the dwindling Thirteen members once again cluttered into his room. Hades was rapidly getting tired of using the Underworld as their base of operations. He was not in a mood for company. Rourke had spent the better part of the day avoiding the foul-tempered god of the dead.

"Good gracious!" Yzma cried as she entered with Kronk behind her. "This place is more of a dump than usual! What happened here?" Furniture had been tossed clear across the room and scorch marks marred the dark floor tiles. Overall it looked like someone had ransacked the chamber.

"Someone wasn't too happy when things didn't go his way on Mt. Olympus," Rourke commented. Hades turned and glared at the crystalline man with burning eyes. To say that Hades victory had been disastrous would have been an understatement. Hercules had arrived and saved Zeus and the other gods. There was no sign of Kelsey. Hercules had defeated Hades, all on his own. The thought infuriated Hades more than he could put into words.

Maleficent swept in like she owned the place. "Sit down! Sit down! Sit down!" she ordered.

Yzma harrumphed before sitting onto a slightly burnt chair. Jafar followed his temples. "Do you care to explain WHY we have been rushed in at a moment's notice?"

"SIT!" Maleficent ordered. Jafar let out a sigh before doing as he was told. Before long The Thirteen, now only Ten, were seated.

"Now what is so urgent, Maleficent?" Cruella De Ville demanded, "I had to cancel a manicure for this!"

"I have received word," Maleficent said quietly, but with an intense urgency in her voice. "My pet," Maleficent paused to hold her finger for her pet crow Diablo to land on her hand. "was flying over Port Royal. Apparently, Lord Beckett has sent word that The Pearl was sunk. Other sailors have confirmed seeing the flotsam and jetsam of the wreck."

The villains sat there for a moment, staring at each other. Their mouths hung open. "What does that mean?" Jafar cried finally.

"It means," Maleficent said, "that Kelsey is dead as well as Jack. According to the reports, several long boats escaped, but none of Beckett's sailors could see Kelsey or Jack aboard them. They would have blasted them, but a strange vehicle dove down out of the sky and flew them to safety."

"This is… this is… it's unbelievable!" Randall exclaimed, "The one person who could have stopped us is… gone!"

"Yes," Yzma agreed, "We can FINALLY move forwards with our plan! With Kelsey gone The Book is obsolete!"

"And probably at the bottom of The Ocean," Gaston added.

"Yes, yes," Jafar agreed, "It is a wonderful event, but unfortunately the damage has already been done."

"So we're The Ten now instead of the The Thirteen," Hades shrugged, "We sign a couple of forms and bam we're set. Let's go summon a demonic monster. "

"Not exactly," Maleficent said. She steepled her fingers in front of her face. "You see, summoning a monster of Chernabog's size and power will take a lot of magic," Maleficent pointed out, "More magic than we have since Ursula has been killed."

The villains groaned. "For the love of… even from beyond the grave she's a pest!" Rourke groaned.

"Yes indeed," Jafar sighed, "we need to find another magician to make this work. But who?"

"Oh for goodness sakes," Yzma sighed, "How difficult could it be? There's me, there's Maleficent, Jafar, even lighter-head over there can throw a few fire balls."

"You'll see that in action if you keep talking," Hades snapped.

"No, no, no," Maleficent insisted, "That was what caused the downfall of the last Wizard's Circle."

"What do you mean?" Hook asked.

"I was there," Maleficent sighed all those years ago. I was still quite young, an apprentice under The Horned King. They didn't have enough power to control the Black God. They were destroyed, in the worst possible manner imaginable."

"So our plots are pretty much on hold until we can find another sorcerer?" Scar groaned, "These delays are NOT encouraging!"

"Just be patient," Maleficent said, "I've heard whispers of a voodoo magician in the quarter. They're may be hope yet." "We can at least take this moment to celebrate a great victory." Maleficent paused to grin, "Kelsey is finally gone."

-888-

The little crew spent hours speeding away. As they did, Rob kept sobbing until he collapsed backwards into Will's arms. There was, as Pintel and Ragetti had predicted, a lot of open water. After hours of travel they had reached land. Gibbs was directing Sophia, taking them through some sort of enormous swamp. Elizabeth was the only who bothered to ask where they were going. All Gibbs did was murmur something about, "Jack's friend" before he broke down again, wiping his eyes sadly.

Rob slowly recovered. For a moment, it seemed like he had forgotten what had happened, but in the next instant he broke down again, burying his face in his hands. "What am I going to do?" he whimpered, "How am I supposed to tell my parents? Oh God… how am I supposed to tell Emma?"

Will didn't have an answer for him. At that moment, there was a huge poof of pink smoke and Sophia was sitting on the boat. "Okay, I have Jackie driving," she said, "Now where in The Kingdom is Kelsey and Jack?" she demanded. Rob sniffed before burying his face in his hands again. Elizabeth gently pulled him close and rocked him back and forth, tears shimmering in her eyes.

"Sophia," Will said softly, "They're gone."

Sophia stared at him for a moment, "What?"

"She… went back for Jack," Will said, his voice broke when he spoke Jack's name.

Sophia's eyes were wide. She shook her head back and forth as though she were trying to shake water out of her ears. "No! No! Absolutely not! NO!"

"It's not negotiable, Sophia…"

"SHE CAN'T BE DEAD!" Sophia yelled suddenly, tears rolling down her cheeks. Will looked up in shock. It was probably the first time he had seen the stoic Sophia show an emotion other than annoyance. "She… can't!" Sophia burst.

"Sophia," Elizabeth sighed.

"How am I supposed to go over there and tell Jackie and Alice… and… and Emma."

"I'll tell her," Rob said quietly. "I think it would be best."

The others nodded mutely as they pulled the boats to a tiny island. They unloaded and allowed Rob to take Emma a short distance away. Seconds later, they could the high pitched wail of Emma's grief stricken cries. It was a horrible noise that caused all of them to break down. They clung to each other, weeping for their comrades as the sun sank below the horizon.

-888-

It was still twilight when Will approached Rob. They had all stopped crying, it seemed as though none of them had any more tears left. Grief was dissolving into other emotions, rage, frustration, confusion, fear. "Rob…" Will said softly, "We… we wanted to have a sort of… funeral."

"A funeral?" Rob asked, "How?"

Will let out a sigh, "A floating candle."

"Oh," Rob murmured, tears leaking out around the edges of his eyes, "Of course."

Will's voice was full of emotion, and his eyes were constantly refilling with tears, both for Kelsey and Jack. He reached into his vest and he pulled out a shiny shimmering disc. He handed it over to Rob.

"What's this?" Rob asked.

"Her… her Josh Groban CD," Will said, his lips turning up in a small smile, despite the sorrow he felt. "She lent it to me… to win Elizabeth back." Will's smile fell when he spoke Elizabeth's name. He cleared his throat. "She kept all her belongings in her pockets. Her iPod, her sword, her map…" Will shook his head, "It's probably the one thing we have left of her."

Rob clutched the CD close. "Thank you, Will," he whispered. Will nodded, his eyes filling up yet again. The sensation was so familiar that he didn't even both wiping them away this time. "I'll… I'll go get Emma," Rob said. Will nodded as he wandered off.

-888-

"Come on!" Emma cried. She pouted before shaking the compass again roughly. "I know what I want! I know!"

Rob saw Emma staring at the compass and sighed. He had forgotten that Emma still had that. Jack had handed it to her for safe keeping before the battle began. The arrow spun about wildly. Emma growled and shook it.

"Emma…" Rob sighed, "Stop."

"No!" Emma insisted, "This thing is gonna lead me to Kelsey. I just know it!"

"Emma, please," Rob pleaded, "Don't make this more difficult. Kelsey… she's gone. Gone to heaven." Assuming Disney characters went to such a place. Heaven would be twice as perfect here in The Kingdom.

"No!" Emma wailed, "This is a Disney kingdom! There's always something! There's always a way! There's always a happy ending! I'll find a way, Rob! I'll find another chapter or whatever Jack and Kelsey used to say! I'll bring them back!" Emma turned angrily and plopped down on the ground.

"Emma," Rob sighed, "Not this time…"

"You have to believe, Rob," Emma snapped condescendingly, "Otherwise the magic doesn't work."

Rob let out a heavy sigh. Emma was clearly going through the denial stage of death. He would let her grieve in peace. "We're having a sort of funeral."

"Go," Emma insisted not turning to face him, "Go have your stupid funeral! Kelsey will laugh at you all when she comes back."

-888-

Everyone in their little group was standing on the edge of the water. The stub of a candle that they had found in the hull of their longboat, floated on the little wooden raft that Gibbs had constructed. The flame flickered lightly as it sailed away. The image made Rob think of The Fire Song, which only made it more difficult. He looked around at his new friends, his late sister's friends. Jackie stood next to Sophia. Jackie had removed her diamond shaped glasses because of the big tears that rolled down her face, staining her cheeks. Sophia was crying openly, surprising everyone by her blatant display of emotions. Gibbs, Pintel, and Ragetti were all weeping softly, unashamed, for their captain and the girl who had won over their hearts. Ragetti clutched the tattered Bible in his arms. Alice and Elizabeth were next. Their eyes were full of shiny tears as well. Alice was refusing to let hers fall, struggling to be strong for Rob, Elizabeth was making a valiant effort to be strong as well, but for some reason, Will wouldn't stand next to her. He paced around their little circle like a caged lion. Standing off to the side, struggling to look indifferent, was Aaron, but Rob caught him wiping away tears when he thought no one was looking. In fact the only person who wasn't there was Emma, who was hiding away from the others.

Rob finally drew a breath and stepped forwards. He clutched the CD closer. "I don't have a CD player, or Genie…" he said, "So I'll have to sing this… bear with me. I think Kelsey would appreciate it. It's… it's a Josh Groban song."

All of them nodded solemnly. Rob drew a deep breath.

_"Who can say for certain?_

_Maybe you're still here,_

_I feel you all around me._

_Your memories so clear._

_Deep in the stillness_

_I can hear you speak._

_You're still an inspiration._

_Can it be..._

_That you are mine_

_Forever love_

_And you are watching over me from up above?_

_Fly me up to where you are_

_Beyond the distant star_

_I wish upon tonight_

_To see you smile_

_If only for awhile to know you're there_

_A breath away's not far To where you are _

_Are you gently sleeping_

_Here inside my dream?_

_And isn't faith believing_

_All power can't be seen?_

_As my heart holds you_

_Just one beat away_

_I cherish all you gave me_

_Everyday_

_'cause you are mine_

_Forever love_

_Watching me from up above_

_And I believe_

_That angels breathe_

_And that love will live on and never leave_

_Fly me up To where you are_

_Beyond the distant star _

_I wish upon tonight To see you smile_

_If only for awhile To know you're there_

_A breath away's not far _

_To where you are… _

_I know you're there _

_A breath away's not far To where you are."_

Rob's voice broke and he struggled as he sang the song. A strange requiem for a strange girl. He wasn't a very good singer, but by the time he was done, all of their little group felt the warm feeling of hope in their hearts. Perhaps Kelsey was still with them somehow. They wiped away their tears and began to pack up. Rob sat in the back of the boat, still clinging to the CD while Sophia hitched up the boat to The Spirit, Kelsey old vehicle, and floated upriver like a funeral procession.

ADDITIONAL AUTHOR'S NOTE: The song is in fact by Josh Groban. It's called To Where You Are and it's absolutely gorgeous if you can find it.


	16. Temporary Not Enemies

**The Great Disney Adventure III: Heroes and Villains**

**A Disney story by talking2myself**

**DISCLAIMER: **See Chapter 1.

**Chapter. 16 Temporary "Not Enemies"**

By the next morning, Rob couldn't remember a time when he was more miserable. He had spent the past 24 hours in a daze. He must have slept at one point, though he wasn't aware of it. His body ached from being crammed into the uncomfortable position at the bow of the lifeboat. He clutched the Josh Groban CD to his chest like a talisman even though it pained him every time he glanced down at the rainbows dancing across its shiny surface. Rob had never been the Grobanite that Kelsey had been. He hated classical music. At one point the told Kelsey that Josh Groban was probably lip syncing at every concert just to make her angry. He regretted that moment now.

Rob also had a vague recollection of Alice ordering him to eat something, though he couldn't remember tasting or chewing or swallowing anything. He was pretty sure that she had spent the morning talking to him, but Rob honestly wasn't listening to her words.

The first thing that Rob was actually aware of was Emma. Rob glanced back at her and his heart sank. Emma sat behind him, still staring at the compass in concentration. The pink tip of her tongue stuck out above her lip as she shook the compass again. Rob frowned. It would have maybe been easier if Emma were crying. Rob could handle that, but her uncrushable denial was almost worse than any tears she could have shed.

"Rob look," Alice tugged on his arm. She pointed out off the side of the lifeboat. Rob lazily glanced in that direction as they sailed by. Just a few feet away, Rob saw other boats, small ones about the same size as theirs. They were strange dark skinned people sitting in these boats staring back at them with mournful eyes and candles clutched in their hands.

"Who are they?" Rob asked quietly.

"Friends of Jack," Alice whispered, "Apparently, they're friends of Tia Dalma."

"Who?" Rob asked again.

"I guess Jack knew her," Alice said, "Gibbs was rather cryptic when I asked if they were friends."

"What did he say?" Rob asked.

"He said ' "Friend" is such a strong word.'" Alice said.

Rob let out a heavy sigh, "How long before they start shooting at us?"

"They would have already done it by now," Aaron mused, "I wonder if perhaps they're cannibals like Jack's _other _friends."

"The most morbid things seem to amuse you," Alice snapped. Aaron shrugged and the three of them resumed their tense silence. The fact that Aaron was still alive and sitting in the boat while Kelsey was exploring the hereafter seemed like the greatest injustice in the world to Rob. He thought that karma would be a little more efficient in The Kingdom, but it seemed as though life was unfair everywhere.

The little procession of boats came to a halt at a small island in the middle of the swamp. A strange crude shack was built here, but it was impossible to see where the foliage of the island stopped and the shack began. Standing in the doorway of the little dwelling was a strange looking island. Her black hair hung around her face in dreadlocks and she was dressed in the strange garb of the islanders. She stared at them sadly as though she already knew what they had to tell.

Gibbs appeared to know her the best. He hurried disembarked and spoke to her in hushed voices. Rob assumed that this mystery woman was Tia Dalma, not a friend of Jack's but not an enemy either. It seemed that almost all of the pirate's past relationships could fit into this category, Will, Elizabeth, the numerous women of Tortuga. The one person who could even come close to being called a true friend of Jack had died with him.

Rob and the others were ushered into the small hut. It was bigger on the inside than it appeared on the outside. Strange items cluttered the walls, jars of eyeballs, shrunken heads, and strange talismans and charms. Rob realized that he should be more afraid than he felt. He wasn't sure whether he was numb from grief or whether spending so much time in the Kingdom had desensitized him to such dangers.

The crew mates were oddly quiet. Will was distractedly tossing the dagger that his father had given him into the table. Elizabeth was sitting a short distance away. Tia Dalma approached her and handed her a mug. "Against the cold," she said quietly, "and the sorrow."

She passed another mug to Rob. Rob gulped it down. It tasted like some sort of spiced rum. The warm combination of alcohol and spice burned down his throat, but the feeling was oddly pleasant and seemed to snap him back into awareness.

Tia Dalma was talking quietly to Will now, "It's a shame. I know you're thinking that with the Pearl, you could have captured the Devil and set free your father's soul." Rob didn't even question how she knew that. Tia Dalma didn't know about Kelsey. She didn't understand that Will and the others were battling not one, but two painful losses. Grief was like a dagger. You could walk away if one stabbed you, if you were lucky, but two? It was almost impossible to stay alive after such a blow.

Will sighed, " It doesn't matter now. The Pearl is gone, along with its captain." Gibbs nodded sadly, "Aye, and already the world seems a bit less bright. He fooled us all right till the end, but I guess that honest streak finally won out." For some strange reason, Elizabeth looked very uncomfortable when Gibbs said that. Gibbs raised his tankard, "To Jack Sparrow!" Ragetti sniffed loudly, his eyes wet with tears, "Never another like Captain Jack!" Pintel agreed, "He was a gentleman of fortune, he was." Elizabeth nodded quietly before raising her glass, "He was a good man." The men all drank after that, but Will continued to stare at his fiancé as though something were tearing him up inside. Will finally spoke.

"If there was anything could be done to bring him back...Elizabeth…" " Would you do it?" Tia Dalma asked suddenly, stepping in front of Will. Rob suddenly perked up. Emma lifted her head eagerly, nearly dropping the compass. "What would you, what would _any _of you be willing to do?" Tia Dalma asked the crew, "Would you sail to the ends of the Earth and beyond to fetch back witty Jack and him precious Pearl?" she turned to face all of the crew.

Rob drew a shaky breath, "Are… are you asking a hypothetical question or are you asking because there's something we _can _do?"

Tia Dalma turned and looked at him, not unkindly, "Answer first."

"Yes!" Rob said quietly, but with unbridled commitment. "Aye," Gibbs agreed heartily. Pintel nodded with grim determination, "Aye. Ragetti echoed his affirmation, "Aye." "Aye!" Mr. Cotton's Parrot squawked. Elizabeth nodded, "Yes." Will did as well, "Aye," he spoke quietly.

Tia Dalma nodded, pleased with their answers, "All right! But if you're going to brave the weird and haunted shores at World's End, then you will need a captain who knows those waters."

Rob heard the faint sounds of footsteps coming down the stairs. All of the crew members turned to see the new arrival before letting out a gasp of surprise. Standing at the foot of the steps was Captain Barbossa, Jack Sparrow's former mutinous first mate.

He grinned at the group of them, "So tell me, what's become of my ship?" He paused to take a bite out of his green apple before throwing his head back and laughing.

-888-

"You're DEAD!" Will cried, echoing the sentiments of the entire crew. The pirates were gaping at Barbosa. Raggetti even pulled out his wooden eye and wiped it on his shirt before popping it back into the socket. Pintel rolled his eyes. As though that would help.

Barbosa chuckled, "Honestly, Mr. Turner, after all the strange things we've seen. It's amazing that _anything _shocks you any more, least of all me."

"I saw you die," Will insisted, somewhat wildly, "We all did!" He turned to the other members of the crew for support as though them agreeing would assure that he wasn't losing his mind any quicker than usual.

"Aye ye did," Barbosa agreed, "But Tia Dalma saw fit to bring me back, and it appears that I'm needed."

"That's a matter of opinion," Will snapped, "You're one of the last people I would like to depend upon."

Barbosa gave Will a look of mock injury and shrugged, "And _why _would you distrust me so?"

"Perhaps our last meeting has something to do about my lack of trust in you," Will replied coldly.

Barbosa chuckled in his throat and shook his head, "You're still upset about that?"

"Well, typically I prefer my blood inside my body where it belongs and not bleeding all over cursed Aztec gold!" Will snapped irritably.

"What's a little nick on the wrist between friends?" Barbosa shrugged.

"We're not friends!" Will retorted hotly, "We are temporary 'not enemies' ."

"Anyways," Elizabeth interrupted, "In light of these new… _developments_…" Elizabeth glanced at Barbosa warily, "I think it would be best if we had a meeting. Original crew members only." She turned to face Barbosa, "If you could be so kind."

"Of course, anything for a fair maiden such as yourself, Miss Swann," Barbosa grinned before taking another chomp out of his apple. "I'll be on my way." He turned and moved back up the stairs.

The crew watched as Barbosa left. Finally, Sophia spoke. "That man's teeth are ghastly! I've found that poor dental hygiene is a sign of poor character. Besides, I make a point of NOT trusting things that were dead at one point."

"I completely agree," Will grumbled.

"Neither of you would do well in Halloweentown," Gibbs muttered.

"Unfortunately," Elizabeth interrupted, "We need him as a guide. Unless any of you happen to know where Jack's hidden?"

Will and Sophia scowled. "Very well, then," Sophia snapped, "But I say he serves as a guide only. I want the major decision making to fall to someone a little more capable. Jack and Kelsey used to grapple for control every once in a while, but overall they did a good enough job. Now that leaders number 1 and 2 have vanished from our chain of command, I feel the next logical person would be Leader 3 aka Will Turner. Any objections?" Sophia looked around. Will glanced up at the mention of his name, but looked slightly concerned.

"In the spirit of Kelsey, I say we do this democratically," Elizabeth interjected, "All in favor of Will leading?"

"Aye!" echoed the voice of every crew member.

"All opposed?" Elizabeth asked.

"Nay."

"Huh?" The stunned crew turned to face the only objector. Will Turner.

"Now is not the time to be humble, Will," Elizabeth chastised.

"I'm not being humble," Will insisted, "I don't think I would be the most efficient leader for this venture."

"For crying out loud, Will!" Sophia cried in frustration, "Why not? You're arguably the most sane person on this ship even when Kelsey was aboard."

"There's one key difference between her and me," Will said.

"Oh for the love of Disney!" Sophia groaned, "I thought all this "feminism" talk would die down now that Kelsey is not around!" Rob looked pained at the words and Sophia instantly regretted saying them. "I'll actually kinda miss her feminist rants," Sophia admitted.

"No!" Will groaned, "Okay, never mind there are TWO key differences between the two of us… and the one that I'm referring to is not gender related!"

"Then what is it?" Alice asked.

Will sighed heavily, "Kelsey walked between two worlds, ours and hers. I'd been many places in the kingdom, but I've only walked in one world."

"What are you saying?" Rob asked, "That… that it should be someone from _our _world?"

"That's impossible," Sophia interrupted, "That would bring it down to three people. Emma is a child. Aaron is possibly the anti-christ and Rob is… well…"

"Rob is almost as bad as she was!" Aaron snapped, suddenly bursting into the conversation, "Rob is all of Kelsey's flaws with none of her nerve to balance it out."

Will glared at Aaron, "I'd follow Rob into the mouth of a kraken before I'd follow you two steps! If the one who walks between two worlds is dead and gone than I say that another One must be found. Besides," Will turned to face Rob, "I think he can do it."

Rob beamed at Will's encouragement. "But Will," Elizabeth interrupted with a look of concern across her face, "This… is not a daytrip. And Kelsey was more concerned about Rob's welfare than anyone else here apart from Emma. How can we put him in danger this way? What if he falls?"

"I'll be there to catch him," Will said coldly. Rob cringed in his spot. It felt as though he was standing in the middle of a sparring match and he had a feeling that Will and Elizabeth were bickering over more than just the leadership of the mission.

"Besides," Will interrupted, "it's his sister."

"Will's right," Rob agreed quietly, "Kelsey's risked her life to save me. It's about time that I return the favor."

"So you're okay with this?" Will asked gently, "You'll face all this danger? Even…" Will paused and swallowed hard, "Even if it's in vain?"

Rob nodded with grim determination, "I won't give up on her! Even if I have to go to the ends of the world to bring her back!"

"That's good," Will sighed before responding dryly, "Because we may have to."

"This is insanity!" Aaron cried, "You're gonna put your faith in _him_? He can barely lead himself without his sister holding his hand let alone the rest of us…ugh!"

Aaron suddenly made a gagging noise as Sophia roughly prodded his Adam's apple with the tip of her wand.

"Aaron of the Thirteen," Sophia said slowly, "You listen and you listen good. The only reason that you were not used as fish bait before is because Kelsey vouched for you. And to honor her memory and her orders I have NOT maimed, beaten, turned you into a pastry or otherwise harmed you, however…" Sophia prodded him again, "I never did listen to everything Kelsey told me and make no mistake if you keep interfering again you'll be a cannoli by sunup. Capiche?"

"Fine!" Aaron yelled shoving Sophia's wand away from his neck. "I'll stay out of it! Someone has to bury you all when he leads you to early graves!"

"WOULD YOU BOTH SHUT UP ALREADY?" Rob yelled suddenly. His outburst silenced the entire room. Even Emma glanced up from her compass long enough to study her cousin. "Look!" Rob sighed in frustration, "You all seem really quick to forget that I survived in The Kingdom for days before my sister came to "rescue" me. I'm not as weak as you all seem to think I am and I won't let you down! Why? Because my sister is in trouble and she needs someone to bail her out!" Rob slammed his goblet down on the table, "Damn it! I'm that someone! Anyone who doesn't trust me is welcome to stage their own rescue mission."

For a moment, all was eerily quiet. The members of the crew exchanged quiet glances. Naturally, the first person to break the silence was Will. "I trust him," Will said, "I go with Rob." Rob turned and gave Will a look of gratitude.

"Hmmph," Sophia muttered, "Hopefully you don't have that…" Sophia sighed and lost some of her gumption and spoke wistfully, "That infuriating stubborn streak that Kelsey has. Otherwise this could be a long trip."

"I'm in," Emma said distractedly, not looking up from the compass.

"I go with Rob," Alice said.

"M-m-me too," Jackie piped.

"I think I speak for the crew when I say we'll stick with the boy," Gibbs said.

Elizabeth looked long and hard at Rob. Rob met her gaze resolutely. He was ready for whatever he had to face… or at least he thought he was. Elizabeth let out a heavy sigh, "Very well then."

"Well," Sophia sighed, "This has been quite the evening. I think a good night's sleep is in order. We may not have the luxury very often. I bid you all goodnight."

"I doubt I'll sleep much under the same roof as Barbosa," Will grumbled, "But I see your point."

As they shuffled about and attempted to find proper sleeping places for everyone in the tiny shack, Rob brushed roughly into Aaron as he passed by, "thanks for the vote of confidence!" he snapped.

"Oh shut up!" Aaron snarled, "You know that my opinion doesn't count with this crowd. Besides, with this pack of "yes men" you'll never get an honest critique of yourself. Consider it friendly advice."

"We're NOT friends," Rob insisted, "We're dangerously close to enemies."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, like I've never heard THAT before," Aaron grumbled before sauntering off. Rob dug his fingernails into his palms. For a moment, the only thing that was keeping him from strangling the life out of Aaron was the fact that for some bizarre, masochistic reason, Kelsey had wanted him alive.

This fact alone made Rob question his late sister's sanity more than anything else.


	17. Never Shall We Die

**The Great Disney Adventure III: Heroes and Villains**

**A Disney story by talking2myself**

**DISCLAIMER: **See Chapter 1.

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **I am in a constant war with my word processing program and to get my formatting the way I like it. I realize I lost a battle last chapter and a lot of the paragraphs were clumped together. Sorry about that, hopefully it won't happen this chapter.

**Chapter. 17 Never Shall We Die**

"SINGAPORE? WE HAVE TO GO ALL THE WAY TO SINGAPORE?"

To say that Sophia was not pleased to hear the news that Barbosa presented would have been the understatement of a lifetime. Sophia had jumped to her feet knocking into Tia Dalma's table and causing all their cups to rattle. Barbosa sneered at her as he steadied his tankard.

"I apologize that our bearings are not to your liking, Miss Sophia," he stated tersely, "But the fact remains. Singapore is where you'll find your answers."

"Oh of all the places!" Sophia cried, "Jack has told me such stories! I didn't even _want _to hear them!" Sophia grimaced and did full body cringe. When, she recovered she let out a sad sigh, "I'll need more soap," she declared before scurrying off to search Tia Dalma's shelves.

"What's in Singapore?" Rob asked suspiciously, "I thought you said you'd take us to the end of the world. Tia Dalma kinda implied that."

Barbosa turned to Rob and gave him an eerie grin, "Aye, and that I shall Master Hatter, if I knew where the location were."

"But you _said_…" Rob began angrily.

"I _said _that I would take you to your sister!" Barbosa pointed out, "Not that I knew where she was. But rest assured, I do intend to make good on that promise." Rob groaned.

"You had better," Will growled, "Or I'll escort you back into the grave myself."

"Well, the pup's learned to bite since I've been gone eh?" Barbosa chuckled. Will scowled at him before getting to his feet and pacing around the table.

"You see, Master Hatter," Barbosa explained, "It's in Singapore, in a sacred temple there is a map. One that reveals the location to The End of the World, if it is properly interpreted. Retrieve that map and I will guide you on your way."

"If?" Rob cried, "You're not inspiring confidence with words like 'if'." Rob pointed out.

"Well, if you doubt your own abilities that's no fault of my own," Barbosa shrugged, "But there's precious little I can do without that map beyond steer you in circles."

Rob let out a heavy sigh. "Okay!" he said drawing a deep breath, "Can you at _least _get us TO Singapore?"

"Well, I _could_…" Barbosa mused, steepling his fingers in front of his face.

"Great," Rob sighed, "We'll leave as soon as we can."

"Hold on a moment, boy," Barbosa interrupted, "I said I could, not that I would."

Rob threw his head back and groaned. _Pirates are just lawyers with funny hats_, he decided. "_Will _you take us there?"

"I will," Barbosa answered slowly, "Providing you find us a proper ship."

"We will," Rob declared.

"Will we?" Elizabeth asked, "How?"

"I don't know," Rob admitted. At that moment, he glanced over at Emma. She was sitting in the corner quietly watching the excitement with wide eyes. Rob, however, wasn't looking at his cousin. He was looking at the compass clutched in her hands.

"I don't know," he repeated, "But I have a plan…"

PORT ROYAL

2 WEEKS LATER

If either Will or Elizabeth returned to the colony they once called home, both would weep at the state of it. Beckett had returned… and he carried a grudge. A cold, cruel grudge that damned anyone who was even suspected of associating with pirates. Lines of pirates were being marched to the gallows… even a few children could be seen dangling alongside the others.

Beckett watched all of this from his fort. It had been two weeks since he had sunk The Black Pearl. Since then Beckett had devised a plan to eliminate all pirates from the Kingdom and thus take control of the trading in the Wild Lands and the New World. Ridding The Kingdom of pirates was satisfying, not nearly as exciting as Kelsey's demise had been, but he was successfully making headway as the new villain leader of The Kingdom and he had Jones clearing the waters to get rid of anymore riff raff.

The only unfortunate thing was that even though Kelsey was dead and gone, she had made a lasting impression. Every once in a while, Beckett would hear the word "Becky" whispered amongst his men. And on a more unnerving note many of the men and women that swung from the gallows cried out her name before they died, vowing to sail the heavens with her and one day claim revenge on Beckett's soul.

Beckett wasn't frightened by their calls, but more annoyed that she was still revered as a hero. She might have died, but her legacy was as strong as ever. The condemned's threats of vengeance didn't concern him either. The only real potential threat that lingered in the back of his mind was Jones's original band of comrades, The Thirteen… now down to Ten. They would soon discover their grave error of cutting off Jones so quickly. Beckett wasn't concerned at all. Even though they were the most power coalition in The Kingdom, Beckett was largely keeping to himself and not interfering with any other larger plans. Though a few thirteen members might begrudge him for beating them to Kelsey.

"Lord Beckett!" one of Beckett's officers hurried to his side. He pointed to the prisoners lined up before the gallows. "They're starting to sing, sir!"

Beckett cocked his head to one side and listened to the mournful tune of the pirates.

"_Yo ho, all together, hoist the colors high. Heave ho, thieves and beggars, never shall we die."_

Beckett smirked thinly, "Finally."

-888-

"Where the bloody hell…?" Will grumbled irritably as he rummaged through the longboats searching through his meager belongings. Elizabeth approached him from behind.

"What are you looking for?" she asked.

"Hammer," Will muttered, "Axe. All of my tools seemed to have sprouted legs and walked away."

"Did they go down with _The Pearl_?" Elizabeth asked gently.

"I brought all my other belongings, they should be in the bag with them," Will retorted.

"What do you even _need _them for?" Elizabeth sighed in exasperation.

"Not the point!" Will snarled at her.

Elizabeth rolled her eyes, "Men."

"Oh." Jackie cried, blushing. She hurried to the longboat that she had been riding in and produced Will's tools sheepishly, "I s-s-sorta f-f-forgot that I had them. I n-n-needed them to b-b-break Aaron out of his cell and s-s-save him. I'm s-s-sorry."

"For taking them? Or for saving Aaron?" Will snatched them back roughly muttering his thanks and throwing them into his bag. Jackie looked crestfallen.

"Another bad day," Elizabeth sighed. For some unknowable reason, Will was having a lot of days where he was just insufferable to be around. She gently squeezed Jackie's shoulder before loading up her own supplies.

"He's clearly entered the "anger" stage of the grieving process," Sophia remarked, "Our new _Captain _isn't helping matters."

Elizabeth sighed, "We'd best find a ship before we all wreak war on each other."

-888-

"Keep going. Keep going. Keep going. STOP!"

Rob halted in the middle of a swampy marshland. He let out a heavy sigh and blew his shaggy bangs out of his face. "Emma," he groaned, "Are you sure you're holding that thing right?"

"Dad's not smarter than the GPS in the car and you're not smarter than the compass," Emma retorted, not looking up from the compass in her hands. Emma sat perched on top of Rob's shoulders. She was serving as their guide since everyone agreed Emma wanted to find Kelsey more than everyone else.

Barbosa chuckled. Rob wanted to turn around and glare at the crusty old buccaneer. He was getting the impression that Barbosa was genuinely enjoying his suffering. He was starting to see why Will didn't like Barbosa. "Your cousin would make a keen bosun," Barbosa pointed out. "She'd keep the entire ship in line."

"That's sick!" Rob cried angrily, "She's only six!"

"A bosun manages a ship, Rob," Will interjected.

"Oh," Rob said blushing, "Well… it's STILL not a good job for a six year old."

Barbosa rolled his eyes, "Honestly whelp," he sighed, addressing Will. Will groaned. Will hated that nickname when Jack gave it to him, hearing it from Barbosa was even worse. "Haven't you explained what a bosun is to this landlubber?"

"This is going to be a long trip," Will groaned.

"You're telling me," Rob sighed, "Hey Em, maybe we should take a rest for while." Rob lifted his cousin down from his aching shoulders.

"What sorta wimpy talk is that?" Emma demanded not looking up from the compass. "I'm not tired at all. Could go on all night even."

"Great," Rob sighed, "Then, if we're still going _you _can carry _me _for the next stretch."

Emma looked up at him trying to gage his seriousness, "Ya know… maybe you _should _rest if you're that tired."

-888-

They were still stuck in the middle of the jungle, but they're situation had improved slightly. Since leaving Tia Dalma's shack, they had been navigating the rivers north out of the Wild Lands and into the established New World. The terrain was rough and they had to row their boats through many vines and branches. However, they were far away from the Ocean, which meant no Beckett, and hopefully they remained hidden from any nearby Thirteen members.

By the time the crew had built a fire, everyone was exhausted. Alice had thrown together their limited supplies and made up some sort of stew for their dinner. Rob ate heartily with a smile on his face to make her feel better, but he could already feel his innards rebelling against him. Emma picked out all the carrots from her helping (carrots being the only vegetable that Emma would eat) and then tossed the remainder of it into the bushes.

Will ate his entire serving without complaint, but Rob doubted that Will even tasted what he was putting into his mouth. Will seemed more tired than most and shortly after their meager dinner he drew his knees up to his chest and while Barbosa was telling everyone tales about Singapore he nodded off with his head resting on his arms. Elizabeth very gently gripped Will's head in her hands and moved him into a more comfortable position on his back, stuffing her cloak underneath his head. Something seemed to be wearing at the former blacksmith, something that grief and stress didn't quite explain. And while Rob watched Elizabeth sit besides Will, stroking his hair and staring at his face with a sad distant expression, Rob couldn't help but wonder if Elizabeth had something to do with it.

One by one, the others bedded down in less than comfortable positions and went to sleep until Rob was the only one still awake. Rob let out a sigh and lifted the CD out of his pack. Rob was down to only two possessions that were really his. His videogame with the dead battery and the Josh Groban CD that had once belonged to his sister. He flipped the CD over and over watching the reflection of the flames dance on its smooth surface.

"I'll put a piece of string through the whole and you can wear that damn thing as a necklace, just stop looking at it!"

Rob jumped at the voice and looked over his shoulder to see Aaron. He was leaning against a tree a short distance away, prodding at the fire with a stick so sparks danced before his dark eyes. Rob frowned at him. He was already tired and it seemed like Aaron was always lurking in the shadows waiting to say the worst possible thing.

"Shouldn't you be sleeping?" Rob grumbled.

"Shouldn't you?" Aaron pointed out. Rob didn't respond. Aaron poked the fire again, "Sleep isn't going to happen for me. Couldn't find a comfortable place."

"How about at the bottom of the riverbed?" Rob muttered, "You'd sleep _then_."

Aaron scowled at Rob before he tossed his stick into the crackling fire. "You know Frodo," he said casually, "You have no reason to hate me."

"I HAVE PLENTY OF REASONS TO HATE YOU!" Rob cried angrily. Aaron pressed a finger to his lips.

"Don't want to wake up your girlfriend or your bodyguard now do you?" he snapped. Rob clamped his mouth shut angrily. Aaron got to his feet and ambled over to Rob. "Alright," he said defiantly, "What are your reasons?"

"My sister is dead because of you!" Rob cried angrily. Tears sprung to his eyes unbidden at the outburst. It was the first time that he had used the words "dead" and "sister" in the same sentence. That hurt more than anything Aaron said.

"Look," Aaron sighed, "You can say what you want about me, but I didn't do anything."

"The Thirteen…" Rob protested.

"Didn't kill her," Aaron stated bluntly, "It was Beckett. I have nothing to do with him. He had his own reasons for wanting her dead. I didn't tie her to the ship or tell her to go back."

Aaron said, "I know that you're angry and you want to blame someone because you'll feel like you're doing _something _to set the world right again and get some closure, but I'm nobody's whipping boy." Rob forced himself to meet Aaron's dark, flinty eyes. Rob he could hardly bring himself to look at Aaron. Aaron sighed. "I'll admit," he said, "I have a lot of what you Disney freaks consider flaws. But I do have a few redeeming factors. I'm honest. I dare you to name one time where I've lied."

"What's your point?" Rob snapped in a choked voice.

"My point is that you can trust me when I say this," Aaron said calmly, "I didn't want her dead."

There was something in Aaron's eyes and words and Rob knew that what he said was true. Rob saw, or rather felt, something about Aaron that he had never observed before. Like a fleck of goodness was in there, polluted and weighed down by too much hatred and sorrow, but still there. Perhaps that was why Kelsey kept him around? She couldn't bring herself to harm him because of some faint hope that he could do something good? And perhaps he still had some part to play in all this?

"I'm sorry," Rob murmured.

"Good," Aaron responded,

"I still don't like you," Rob added quickly, "I don't trust you. I think your motives are shifty and I don't think that you care about much in this world besides yourself."

"You'd probably be right on all counts," Aaron said curtly, "I think you're clutzy, way too trusting and a bit dense."

The two boys both took a long hard look at each other before Rob sighed. "I must thank you though,"

"For what?" Aaron cried in confusion.

"I think I understand Kelsey better than I did before," he sighed, "I trusted her more than anyone else in the Kingdom." He looked up at Aaron, "I hope she was right about you."

Aaron shrugged, "Only time will tell, I suppose. Goodnight Master Hatter."

Rob didn't respond. He stared at the CD as he heard Gibbs and Barbosa snoring away. Rob suddenly looked up and turned back towards Aaron, "Frodo?"

"What?"

"You called me Frodo," Rob said in confusion.

Aaron rolled his eyes, "Yeah, it's what I called your sister."

Aaron ambled back to his tree before leaning against it and nodding off. Rob curled up onto his side, the CD clutched close to his hands. Normally, Rob wouldn't relish the nickname, but at that moment being a called a hobbit, just like his sister, was the greatest compliment he could have received.


	18. Deals and Negotiations

The Great Disney Adventure III: Heroes and Villains

A Disney story by talking2myself

DISCLAIMER: **See Chapter 1.**

**Chapter. 18 Deals and Negotiations**

"Are we there yet?"

"Rob do I have to turn this expedition around?" Emma snapped.

"Easy for you to say," Rob grumbled, "You're STILL being carried."

"It's not my fault that you guys don't believe strong enough," Emma pointed out.

Rob huffed a sigh and blew a strand of blonde hair out of his face, "At this point I'll believe just about anything as long as I get you off my back!" He took another staggering step forwards and tried to ignore the aching in his back and shoulders as well as the dozens of mosquito bites that covered his bare arms. His feet were damp, but he had already swapped his shoes for a pair of Barbosa's boots. He had already almost lost one of his tennis shoes in a pile of mud. As he moved he felt the CD flap against his chest. He had strung a string through it and now he wore it around his neck like an amulet. Rob tried to ignore the fact that Aaron had mockingly suggested that he do just that. Part of Rob felt like a damn fool for holding onto it for so long, but he couldn't bring himself to let go of it.

The CD settled flat against his chest as Rob glanced upwards. He peered ahead through the shrubbery. "What's that?" he murmured.

Emma kicked the side of Rob's head with her shoe, "Eyes forwards Rob! We're burning daylight!"

"Would you give it a rest, Mini-Bosun!" Rob snapped, "Look ahead." Emma glanced up from the compass for two seconds before bringing her head back down.

"What's the big deal, Rob?" she asked, "It's just a path."

"It's more than a path!" Rob insisted, "It's a _road_!" Rob plopped Emma on the ground before throwing himself on the road as though he were embracing it. "It's a beautiful, wonderful, paved, dirt road!"

Emma quirked her eyebrow in a way that made her look like her late cousin. Emma looked at Rob skeptically, "And they said _Kelsey _was weird."

Rob brought his head up, "Roads mean civilization. Civilization means shipyard which means we'll find a ship and be able to save Kelsey! And on a personal note… it also we'll have a chance at a hot bath and an actual bed." The two weeks that the crew had spent tramping through the jungles had taken its toll on everyone and Rob was looking forward to a few luxuries.

"Rob?" Alice emerged from the bushes.

"He's busy having a moment with the road," Emma stated.

Rob quickly got to his feet and dusted himself off while the others made their ways forward. "Where does this road lead?" he asked, "Not that I care too terribly as long as there's a harbor and a three star hotel."

"Ah," Barbosa said, "This road leads to the village of New Bristol, one of the newest colonies."

"Well that's where we're headed," Rob said, "We need to find an inn and maybe start poking around the town, see what we can find. And er maybe try to be a little bit… ya know… inconspicuous."

"Oh sure," Sophia scoffed, "A bunch of pirates, a fairy, a pixie, a princess, two "Hatters" and a mad genius. Sure no one's gonna notice us at all!"

-888-

THE DARK FOREST

DISNEY EUROPE

It was dark in the forest, but that was hardly out of the ordinary. It was difficult to tell time in the forest because the trees blocked out the sun, but Mim knew that it was nighttime because she could catch glimpses of stars twinkling in the gaps between the trees.

Mim's nights had been quiet lately, revolving mainly around games of solitaire. Mim was content for the most part. She picked up bits of gossip about the Thirteen, but it seemed as though things were quiet for them as well. All of the focus had shifted towards the new villain, Cutler Beckett and his vendetta against all pirates.

Mim angrily slapped down a card onto her discard pile. If it were possible, she hated him more than The Thirteen. The only reason Lord Becky had become anything of importance was because of her. The thankless cur!

And then she had received the news. Kelsey was dead.

Mim was actually quite surprised by her reaction to the news. She found herself quite angry. Mim never liked Kelsey. Heck, most of the time she HATED Kelsey, but at the same time, Kelsey was the best chance that she had. If anyone could bring about the end of Beckett and The Thirteen and the any of the others who had belittled and used her, it was Kelsey. It seemed like Mim's hopes for revenge had died with her.

A sharp knock on the door caused Mim to jump. Her heart nearly stopped at the sound. "Visitors?" she asked and then scowled, "I HATE visitors!" The person knocked again, more insistently this time.

Mim huffed and raised her hands in preparation, "Enter the abode of Mad Madam Mim at your own risk!" she crowed.

"Would you give it a rest Mim!"

Mim was surprised that she didn't recognize the voice on the other side. It was a male voice. A rich, lovely tenor voice that caught Mim by surprise. Mostly out of curiosity, Mim crossed to the other side of the room and opened the door.

On the other side of the door was a figure. The figure was taller than Mim and slender. It wore a long gray cloak that exposed only its hand and a bag that he clutched. Cloaked and cowled, Mim couldn't see his face. "Who are you?" she demanded, "What do you want?"

"I need your help, Mim," the figure said.

"Why would I help you?" Mim scoffed, "I don't even know who you are!"

"No?" the figure smirked, "Look again." The figure lifted his cowl and Mim gasped in surprise.

"You?" she cried.

The figure smiled, "It's been a while, hasn't it Mim."

"I should turn you into a newt!" Mim roared, "You have some nerve coming here!"

"I don't exactly relish the idea myself," the figure sighed, "But I do have a proposal that I think you'd like."

"You need _my _help? MY help? Ha!" Mim laughed humorlessly, "That's rich!"

"Mim…" the figure sighed.

"I have no reason to want to help you!" Mim continued, "I don't know how you got here, but I should tell the Thirteen that you're here! They'd probably find that most interesting."

"I hope you do," the pleasing voice suddenly bristled with anger, "Because I seek to join them."

"Join them?" Mim cried, "Have you completely lost your mind? Why on earth would they let you join? If they wouldn't let _me_…"

"They won't let me in unless you help me, Mim," the figure insisted, "Which is why I'm here."

"What could you possibly offer me that could persuade me to help you?" she demanded, "A place in The Thirteen? Bah! That ship has sailed!'

"Something better," the figure said, "Revenge on the Thirteen."

Mim perked up and whirled around, "Really? This seems like an empty promise."

"It's possible," the figure insisted, "I have a plan. But in order for it to work, I need your help."

"Well, naturally," Mim scoffed, "You can't just walk in like that." she gestured to the figure's cloaked form.

"I am fully aware of that," the figure responded, the rich, tenor voice was suddenly tense with frustration. "But if you listen to me, you'll not only get to join the Thirteen as a respected member, but you will also be there to cause their demise."

Mim stood there thoughtfully for a few moments. Then, she sighed and opened the door, "Come in. We have much to discuss."

-888-

NEW BRISTOL

THE NEXT DAY

Rob was awoken by Emma's hand flopping over onto his face. Rob groaned and rolled out of the way. The bunch of them had spent the night in one of the inns. They barely had enough money to get a single room for the lot of them. Rob got his hot bath, but not the bed that he had been hoping for. Rob, Aaron and Will slept on the floor of the inn. There were two beds in the room. Jackie and Alice slept in one with Emma. While Elizabeth and Sophia claimed the other and Barbosa slept in the chair in the corner of the room. Emma squirmed kicking Alice as she moved. Her hand dangled over the side of the bed swatting Rob in the face.

He sighed and pushed Emma's little hand aside. He sat up slowly, arching his back to get the kinks out. He could hear Barbosa snoring loudly in the chair while Will lay a short distance away on the floor. Rob tugged his shirt on, trying to be gentle as the fabric rubbed roughly against the angry red of his mosquito bites. As he did, he heard Will stirring besides him.

Will sat up and ran a hair through his unruly curls. "What time is it?" he murmured softly.

"Daytime," Rob shrugged, "That's all I really know. I'm going to take a look around. Do you want to come?"

"Very well," Will said, reaching for his boots. Rob turned around and examined Emma. She was still asleep, the compass clasped in one of her hands. Rob gently attempted to pry open her fingers.

"I don't think so," Emma murmured sleepily.

"Emma," Rob sighed, "I need it."

"No!" Emma insisted tightening her grip.

"Emma, we need it to find a ship," Rob sighed in exasperation.

Emma grumbled and sat up, "Help me tie my shoes."

Rob rolled his eyes but bent to tie up the laces. As he did, Will had his own boots on and had gotten to his feet. He looked down at his fiancée lovingly. He leaned over her as though he were going to give her a kiss before he left, but a sad look swept over his face and he decided against it. He covered her with the blanket instead. "Coming Will?" Rob asked.

"Coming," Will said quietly and he followed Rob and Emma out the door.

-888-

"New Bristol is actually a new colony when you come down to it," Will explained as they made their way through the town. The sun was shining and now that Rob was actually alert enough to pay attention, he realized that New Bristol was quite smaller than Port Royal or even Jamestown. There was the inn where they were staying, a church, a general store, and several market stalls as well as a few other buildings that Rob couldn't quite place. "Many folks came over from Bristol in Disney England," Will said, "Disney Europe seems to be filling up quickly while the New World is always open and full of opportunities."

"That is if you don't mind rubbing elbows with a bunch of pirates," Rob pointed out.

Will winced "True," he admitted.

"We have to go in there," Emma announced, pointing ahead. She pointed up at a building. It was simple, but more elegant than the others. The word SHIPBUILDER was written on a sign above the doorway.

Will groaned, "Oh no."

"What?" he asked

"Are you sure?" Will asked Emma.

"Yeah," Emma shrugged, "See." she showed Will the compass, its needle pointed towards the house.

"Great," Will groaned.

"What's so bad about that?" Rob asked gesturing to the house, "It doesn't look very scary, especially compared to some of the places we've been."

"That's the home of Squire Trelawney," Will sighed, "The idiot son of the real squire."

"Squire Trelawney?" Rob asked, "You mean… from Muppet Treasure Island?" Rob was slowly understanding Will's distress.

"Yes," Will sighed heavily, "He used to live in Bristol before he became involved in the whole treasure hunt. He came back to Bristol afterwards and spent every last cent that he earned from the whole affair on Turkish delight. He claimed that some fellow named, "Mr. Bimbo" advised him to. Rumor has it that his father was so mortified that he sent him to "manage the new colony" just to keep him out of his hair."

"Well, this is the guy we need to talk to about a ship," Rob said.

"But… he's insane!" Will cried.

"Well, think about it," Rob shrugged, "Would we ever be able to convince a _sane _person to lend a ship to a bunch of pirates so they could sail it off the end of the world?"

Will let out a heavy sigh, "Point taken."

"Let's go see if we can talk to the squire," Rob said.

-888-

"My goodness! What a remarkable story!" Rob forced himself to smile, but he was completely overwhelmed by the ridiculousness of the story. His sister was dead and here he was, talking to Fonzie Bear in a ludicrous curly wig. "So you're telling' me that the fate of Kelsey Hatta' relies on _us_?"

"Yes, Squire," Will said, "Kelsey is the only one who's been able to control The Book of Songs and therefore the only one capable of standing against The Thirteen. If we don't rescue her and finish her mission there'll be no stopping the Thirteen."

"Of course!" Squire Trelawney cried bringing his fist down on the table. "Oh!" he cried suddenly, he looked down at his pointer finger. "I'm sorry, Mr. Bimbo. I got caught up in the moment." He held up his finger to his ear. "You're most gracious, Mr. Bimbo." He turned to Rob and Will to whisper conspiratorially, "He's been to the moon!"

Will turned to give Rob a "see-what-I-mean" sort of glance. Rob bit his lip before turning to face Squire Trelawney. _If The Shining has taught us _anything _its that you don't trust people who talk to their fingers! _"So you see Squire… We don't really want to… well, _swim _to Singapore…"

"You'll need a ship of course!" Squire Trelawney cried eagerly, "I'll finance the entire expedition! You'll get a ship, and a crew, and I will personally…"

"Eh ahem, Squire," Will interrupted, "We do have a crew of our own, one that we're quite attached to."

"Of course, or course," Squire Trelawney said, "But a few cabin boys will definitely be able to aid you and… what's that Mr. Bimbo?" Squire Trelawney placed his finger to his ear, "What a brilliant idea, Mr. Bimbo!" Squire Trelawney cried, "You're so smart! Mr. Bimbo says that he would love to accompany you on this noble rescue mission. And I too shall accompany you on this journey."

"Squire," Will sighed, "When we say that we will be sailing to the ends of the world, we _do _mean that literally and it would be wrong for us to endanger you or any others."

"Not at all!" Squire Trelawney cried, "I would be most honored to take part in those moment of noble Kingdom history!"

"You don't say.." Will frowned.

"I do say!" Trelawney insisted, "A select few will join us on your journey and together we will save Kelsey Hatta'!"

"Aha," Rob said, "Can you excuse us for one moment Squire?"

Rob pulled Will and Emma out of the Squire's office for a few moments to confer in the hallway. "This is madness!" Will cried.

"We're not going anywhere without the crazy bear that talks to his finger," Rob said.

"There are two good reasons why he should _not _come," Will insisted, "One he'll be risking his fool life by coming with us. There's an untold number of things that could happen to him!"

"L-l-like what?" Emma asked anxiously.

"Never mind, Emma," Rob said quickly, shooting Will a glare.

"And number two," Will continued, "That bear is a liability. He'll have the ship sunk two hours out to see."

"We don't have a choice, Will!" Rob insisted, "We either play by his rules or we go to Singapore in a rowboat."

Will shook his head in disbelief before heaving a sigh, "This is insanity!"

"Will!" Rob said sternly. He gripped Will's chin and forced the former blacksmith to look him in the eyes. "When you said that you wanted me to lead, that you would follow me into the mouth of a krakken, did you mean that? Or were you just trying to make me feel better because my sister died?"

"Of course, I meant it," Will said, "I trust you like I trusted your sister."

"Then, prove it!" Rob said.

Will let out a weary sigh, "Very well. I trust you."

"Good," Rob said. The trio turned to go back into the Squire's office.

"Stubbornness must be a family trait," Will grumbled.

"Squire Trelawney," Rob cried as he made his way back into the office. "We have an accord."

Squire Trelawney's face lit up eagerly. "Brilliant! Simply brilliant!"

BANG! At that moment, a strange long necked figure with a shock of red hair went flying past Rob and just over Emma's head. The puppet crashed into the opposite wall before crumpling to the ground.

"Well done, Beakie," A bald green fellow with glasses scurried into the room and helped the figure up, "We only need a few more tests and we'll have that self-firing cannon sorted out."

"Meee mee mee mee mo" the figure piped wearily.

"Oh of course," Trelawney cried, "This is Dr. Livesy and his assistant, Beaker. They do research and development for my papa."

"Cool!" Emma cried, "Can I go in the cannon next?"

"NO!" Rob and Will cried in unison. Though Rob was secretly a little relieved that Emma was showing a little bit more emotion than usual.

"They will be joining us on our journey!" Trelawney announced.

Will groaned quietly, "And I thought the journey would be less dangerous without Kelsey and Jack around to anger villains."

"Another journey, excellent!" Dr. Livesy exclaimed.

"Me me me ma mee moo." Beaker piped happily.

"Let's ready the self-loading cannon," Dr. Livesy cried, "We can take it on the journey."

"Well, we'd better alert the rest of the crew," Rob said, "Thank you very much, Squire." Rob shoved Will and Emma forwards. The three of them hurried out into the sunlight.

"So…" Rob said as they walked down the steps, "So…eh, heh heh. Do… do you still trust me?"

Will nodded wearily, "I still trust you."

BANG! Rob, Will and Emma whirled around to see Beaker flying out a window. The two turned around again and continued on their way. "I still trust you," Will repeated more to himself than to Rob, "I still trust you. I still trust you. I still trust you!"


	19. Captain Hatter

**The Great Disney Adventure III: Heroes and Villains**

**A Disney story by talking2myself**

**DISCLAIMER: **See Chapter 1.

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**: Yes, it's been a while. I have once again had a very difficult couple of weeks. Several family members have been experiencing health problems and there is a lot of political unrest in my state (I live in WI). If you want the grand details see my profile. I'll try to be better.

**Chapter. 19 Captain Hatter**

"This way, Will," Rob smiled tugging on Will's hand, "It's pretty cool! Trelawney actually hooked us up with a decent ship. You're not gonna believe it!" Will smiled at Rob's eagerness, it was the first time that he had actually seen Rob show some sign of excitement since Kelsey had died.

The two walked across the busy New Bristol docks. New Bristol seemed to be one of the more curious towns of The Kingdom, one where both Unreal and Muppets lived together. Will had mentioned to Rob that there were still some parts of London and New York where the Muppets lived, but they were a rarer breed of Disney creature. New Bristol seemed to be their new refuge.

Rob had liked the mysterious Muppet people, but he could also see why not very many people were willing to live in close proximity with them. The buildings of the town were crammed close together. The streets were populated with both species. However, the Muppets were very strange. Rob was hoping that Trelawney and his assistants were the crazier versions of Muppets, but apparently all of the others were just as silly. It was like living in Wonderland again.

Nearly stepping over something that looked like a cross between a poodle and a mop head, Rob held out his hand to gesture to Will, "There it is!" he grinned. An elegant vessel bobbed in the distance it's masts straight and tall with clean white sails billowing in the morning breeze. It was painted a fresh blue color and there were two figureheads near the bow of the ship that caught the light of the afternoon sun.

"Isn't it awesome?" Rob grinned.

Will turned to face Rob and smiled, a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "It's a grand vessel," Will agreed.

Rob's smile fell, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Will insisted, "Nothing wrong."

"Come on, Will," Rob sighed, "What did I do wrong?"

Will shook his head immediately and let out a sad sigh. Kelsey was a grand leader but she didn't have the ability for reading people that her brother did. Rob saw right through him like he was a pane of glass. "You didn't anything wrong, Rob," Will said, "You found one of the best vessels in The New World and furthermore you convinced them to hand it over to a bunch of pirates."

Rob smiled, but then turned to glance at the ship in the distance before letting out a sigh, "But it's not _The Pearl_."

"No," Will said, "Please understand, Rob. I'm so proud of all that you've accomplished in such a short amount of time. But _The Pearl_… it was home, or at least the closest thing I've ever had to it. Sailing aboard another vessel… it just feels a bit traitorous."

"I'll get your ship back, Will," Rob promised.

Will shook his head and gripped Rob's shoulders, "Get your _sister _back. And Jack. Then, I'll be home again." Rob grinned at his words. More than ever, Rob was grateful that he had Will to rely on. He realized why his sister had leaned on him so often, little did he know that Will was leaning on him just as heavily.

"Well there he is! The new captain of _The Hispaniola_." Will released Rob's shoulders as Squire Trelawney approached them. "A fine vessel, isn't she?" Trelawney smiled.

"The finest, sir," Will said.

"Come along, Captain Hatter," Squire Trelawney smiled, "We have a carriage ready to take you to the ship after you get your coat and hat."

"Er… I suppose," Rob said, he followed Trelawney and turned over his shoulder to look back at Will, "Uh Will… do you suppose you could…?"

"I'll ready the crew and see that the ship's ready to sail," Will promised.

"And the girls?"

"I'll keep an eye on Emma," Will added, "She's already boarded with Alice and Jackie."

"Keep an eye on Sophia too!" Rob cried as he was shoved into the carriage.

"Of course!" Will called as the carriage door closed.

Rob stuck his head out of the carriage, "AND Barbosa!"

"TWO EYES on him," Will sighed, "Don't worry!" Rob frowned, closed the window and the carriage drove away.

Rob waved at Will as the carriage rambled down the road, feeling somewhat alone as it bumped away. Will stood there waving him off for a few seconds before he turned on foot to board the ship.

_Captain Hatter_, he mused, _I wish his sister could have heard that_.

-888-

NEW ORLEANS

THE FRENCH QUARTER

New Orleans was one of the newest cities in the Kingdom. It sprang up in the Wild Lands miles south of The New World. The city was a colorful mass of sound. All of the buildings were painted in lovely colors of red or yellow or pink. The sweet smells of New Orleans cooking wafted from the windows of restaurants all over The Quarter. Parades of musicians constantly filled the streets with the loud joyous sound of jazz music.

However, there was one section of the Quarter that was dark.

Gaston and Kronk wandered down the shadowy alley as the sounds of jazz grew softer and softer. Kronk anxiously peered back at the colors and sounds fading into the distance. When he turned his head again to look for Gaston, he walked straight into a spider's web.

"WAHH!" he wailed clawing at the sticky web material until he ripped it away from his face. Gaston rolled his eyes. "Um… why exactly did we get volunteered for this again?" Kronk asked.

"Because," Gaston sighed, "We have been dubbed the "most normal looking" of the bunch AND should this guy object we'll be strong enough to uh…" Gaston paused and cracked his knuckles, "_persuade _him."

"Oh," Kronk said, "When you say _persuade_…"

"Shh!" Gaston hissed, "Do you hear that?"

There was the sound of music. Not the jazz music that they had left behind, but the faint sound of drums.

"Shake my hand," a voice beckoned, "Come on boys won't you shake a poor sinner's hand?"

Gaston hurried ahead and opened a mysterious painted door. Standing before them was a tall slender man dressed all in her purple. He was currently clasping hands with a handsome brown haired fellow in a cap and sweater vest and a tubby, pink gray haired chap.

"Yes," the figure grinned as bright sparks of magic swarmed around them. The drums blasted and pounded in their ears.

"ARE YOU READY?" The figure cried out.

"Are you ready?" mysterious voices echoed in the background.

"Are reeeeady?" the figure sang as he lifted a dark carved talisman. "TRANSFORMATION CENTRAL!"

"Transformation central!" the voices echoed.

"REFORMATION CENTRAL!" The figure sang as he closed the teeth of the talisman onto the one man's fingers, drawing blood and filling the talisman.

"Reformation central!" the voices echoed again.

"TRANSMORGIFICATION CENTRAL!" The figure sang again, "Can you feel it?"

Suddenly, the man in the chair began to twist and transform as his companion watched in mute horror. Before long, the man was reduced to a green slimy frog.

"You're changing, you're changing, you're changing alright," the figure sang, "I hope you're satisfied, but if you ain't don't blame me. You can blame my friends on the other side!" The figure cackled wickedly before the lights went out.

Gaston removed a match from his belt and struck it against the wall to light it. "Eh ahem," he cleared his throat, "You must be the Shadow Man."

The figure turned around, the frog (a man up until mere seconds ago) squirmed in his grip. "Gentlemen," he smiled, "Can I help you?" He shoved the frog roughly into a glass jar and capped a lid on top of it. The frog stared at them with sorrowful green eyes.

"We have a proposition for you," Gaston said, "From the Thirteen."

"I see," the fellow said, "Interesting." He shoved the jar into the tubby man's hands. "Bring this to the back room. Wait for me there if you don't want to suffer the same fate."

The man stood there trembling before he scrambled into the back room clutching the jar.

"Gentlemen," he grinned, "Welcome to the home of Dr. Facilier. Please, step into my office."

-888-

"EEEK!" Sophia squealed jumping into the air and into Gibbs's arms. "RAT!"

"Well!" the Muppet rat grumbled with a blonde wig, "I've never been so insulted!"

"Sheesh, lady, if you're gonna be that way it's gonna be a long cruise!" another rat took a few steps forwards.

"TWO RATS?" Sophia cried.

"Um… this is probably a bad time to mention that Rizzo has been running a rat cruise line on _The Hispaniola _for years." A strange blue creature with a long hooked nose appeared alongside the second rat.

"A. Rat. CRUISELINE?" Sophia shrieked. She looked around the ship and saw rats everywhere. They were dancing, swigging martinis, and playing shuffleboard.

"Yep," Rizzo smiled, "Rat Cruises Limited. An all rat cruise to exotic Disney Asia. The Great Wall of China, Mongolia, and Singapore."

"Oh Disney!" Sophia wailed before dropping into a dead faint in Gibb's arms.

"Sophia," Jackie said gently prodding her godmother, "D-d-don't do the horrible pr-pr-princess thing."

Two figureheads were bickering with each other as Will boarded the ship. It somewhat disturbed him that he wasn't alarmed by the fact that the two of them were talking.

"ANOTHER cruise?" the first cried, Will later learned that his name was Statler. "God, wasn't it bad enough the first time?

"Well, it could be worse," the second, Waldorf pointed out, "We got written into the third book in The Great Disney Adventure series, at least we didn't have to suffer through the first two." The two tossed their heads back and laughed. Will shook his head and climbed aboard. He felt someone grip his hand and pull him aboard. Will glanced up in surprise at Elizabeth smiling at him.

"Surprise," she smiled.

"Hello Elizabeth," Will sighed. Then he caught sight of Sophia who was limp in Gibbs's arms. "What happened to…?"

"Don't ask," Gibbs sighed.

"ATTENTION! ATTENTION!" Another blue muppet made his way through the crew members already onboard the ship. He looked like an eagle with a heavy black eyebrow and a beaklike nose. "Come on then lads! Chop chop! The captain will be here shortly."

"Where's Barbosa?" Will asked Elizabeth anxiously as Sophia slowly came to once again.

"Honestly, Master Turner," Barbosa sighed, "Do you really trust me so little?"

"Even less than you can imagine," Will snapped.

"I have a stake in this just as much as you do, Mr. Turner," Barbosa said suddenly very serious. Another figure appeared out the shadows to stand alongside him. "It's gotten more serious than even you know. Which is why we have another guest coming aboard this cruise." The figure lifted her chin and smiled at the two of them.

"Tia Dalma!" Elizabeth cried.

"How on earth did you…?" Will asked in wonder.

"Really, Will-yum do you really wan' to know?" Tia Dalma asked with a playful smile.

"Not particularly," Will sighed.

"Beckett is causing troubles across The Ocean," Barbosa pointed out, "He's killing pirates all across The Kingdom. We need to summon the pirate lords."

"Barbosa, we had a deal," Will insisted, "We need to fetch Kelsey."

"Calm yourself, William," Barbosa sighed, "Jack is one of the nine pirate lords. We have more reason than ever to find him and bring him back."

William sighed, "Very well. Hopefully, we'll be able to avoid further difficulties."

"Something else you might want to know," Gibbs said as he set a still groggy Sophia back on her feet. "There has been quite a bit of tension between the Mongolian Huns and The Chinese Empire. We may be walking into a war."

"Fantastic," Will grumbled, "The Thirteen is chasing after us. Wars erupting right and left. What more could we ask for?"

"I know! How lucky are we?" the strange blue creature with the long hooked nose appeared at Will's side. "Hi, my name's Gonzo and that's Rizzo over there running the shuffleboard tourney."

"Ah," Will said, "Thanks. Um… could you please maybe not mention this conversation to the rest of the crew."

"Wow!" Gonzo cried, "A secret mission!"

"I SAID GET TO WORK!" The strange muppet cried.

"That's Mr. Arrow," Gonzo said to Will.

"Make aside! Make way!" Mr. Arrow ordered, "Hop to it! Make way for the captain or suffer his wrath!"

"Wrath?" Sophia asked skeptically.

"Of course!" Mr. Arrow insisted, "The man is a raging volcano haunted by demons that you couldn't possibly understand."

Will quirked an eyebrow, "Uh huh."

"He likes to exaggerate," Gonzo whispered.

"That's putting it mildly," Rizzo grumbled.

At that moment, a black carriage rounded the corner before screeching to a halt. The crew all held their breath in anticipation as a figure in a tri-cornered hat and a long navy coat with golden buttons.

Of course, his shaggy bangs kind of gave him away.

"Hi everybody," Rob said nervously as he stepped up the gangplank.

"That's the raging volcano?" Gonzo asked skeptically.

"Poor word choice to say the least," Elizabeth grumbled.

"My captain," Mr. Arrow said with a low bow.

"S'up dude," Rob smiled before walking ahead. Mr. Arrow looked slightly stricken as Rob scrambled to Will's side. "I knew it!" Mr. Arrow said running a finger along the edge of the ship to inspect it's dust, "He's FURIOUS! YOU!" Mr. Arrow chased down a huge muppet named Sweetums.

"Me?" the muppet asked.

"You were in charge of railing dust!" Mr. Arrow railed, "Thirty lashes and then you walk the plank!"

"I think I'm going to like this guy," Sophia mused. Rob shook his head before addressing Mr. Arrow.

"Dude," he insisted, "Chill. I didn't say that."

"I was just anticipating your whim, sir," Mr. Arrow insisted.

"Well… don't!" Rob said, "Seriously, that was harsh."

"My apologies captain," Mr. Arrow sighed, "Perhaps you should… address the crew."

"Oh," Rob said anxiously turning to face the massive Muppet and Unreal crew. "So…" Rob said feebly, "Hi everybody."

"That was the worst introduction I've ever heard!" they heard Waldorf yell.

"Really? Did you _read _chapters 1-18?" Statler piped and the two laughed raucously.

"ANYWAY," Rob grumbled, talking over the two, "It's going to be a good trip. Thank you all for coming, especially Trelawney who gave us the ship. And… yeah… that's about it!" For a moment, there was nothing. Just a long moment of incredibly awkward silence before a few of the crewmembers began to applaud pitifully.

"I trust him. I trust him. I trust him." Will muttered to himself as he rubbed his temples.

"That was awful!" Statler piped.

"That was terrible!" Waldorf agreed.

"That was ridiculous!"

"It was stupid!"

"It was pointless!"

"It was… short." The two old men exchanged glances, "WE LOVED IT!"

"BACK TO WORK ALL OF YOU," Mr. Arrow bellowed as Rob let his head plop into his hand. "Any dawdlers will be shot on sight."

"Didn't say that," Rob piped holding up one finger but not lifting his head out of his hand.

"Just paraphrasing sir."

"Just set the sails, Mr. Arrow!"

"SET THE SAILS!" Mr. Arrow bellowed.

Rob groaned as the crew raced to do his bidding. "This is going to be a LONG trip!"


	20. A Double Commandeer

**The Great Disney Adventure III: Heroes and Villains**

**A Disney story by talking2myself**

**DISCLAIMER: **See Chapter 1.

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**: Yes, I am aware that it has been exactly one month since I updated. I apologize sincerely, midterms. They almost killed me, but I live to write another day!

**Chapter. 20 A Double Commandeer**

THREE WEEKS LATER

"I'VE GOT CABIN FEVER!"

"I'VE GOT IT TOO!"

"CABIN FEVER!"

Rob opened one eye slowly at the sounds of shouting. It was early, too early for such nonsense. _Oh God what now? _

There was a throbbing in Rob's temples, one that he had grown so accustomed to that he almost forgot about it… almost. It had been a rough week. Between the three-quarters crazed crew and the complete lack of wind, Rob had been given a lot to fret over.

There was a knock on the cabin door. Rob bolted upright. "Who is it?" he asked.

"Alice."

Rob nearly fell out of his hammock, something that he STILL had trouble get used to, and yanked his arms into his captain's overcoat, "Come in."

Alice opened the door and a loud blast of music echoed down the corridors. Alice quickly closed the door tightly behind her. "Have they been singing long?" Rob asked with a sigh.

"Just started," Alice said before handing Rob a mug. "From Will."

Rob sat up, the hammock swinging beneath as he took it from her. "What is it?"

"He said that it will help you deal with… everything," Alice said with a shrug, "It's Jack's recipe though so he advises you to hold your nose and drink it quickly."

Rob smiled at her, "How do you put up with so well?"

"I live in Wonderland, Rob," Alice pointed out with a quick smile.

"Good point," Rob sighed bringing the mug to his lips. Rob's lips and tongue were assailed by the sharp taste of ginger and rum, a strange and slightly painful combination. Rob's whole body twitched in revile.

"You didn't hold your nose," Alice stated mildly.

"And Will's been drinking this?" Rob cried.

"Three times a day as a matter of fact," Alice shrugged, "Hold your nose."

Rob groaned, pinched his nose between his thumb and forefinger and downed half of the drink before allowing his throat a few seconds to recover. "Where's Elizabeth?"

"Trying to find Will."

"And where's Will?"

"Trying to avoid Elizabeth," Alice sighed.

"Ah," Rob said quietly, "They're still at it."

"I guess so," Alice said, "I'm not sure what their problem is."

"Don't think I really want to know," Rob sighed, "Good thing we never fight like that."

Alice smiled back at him before taking his empty mug. "I suggest you get out there. Some order is needed."

"Yeah, yeah, give me a minute," Rob sighed as she opened the door and closed it behind her.

-888-

"_Cabin fever has ravaged all aboard. This once proud vessel has become a floating psycho ward. We were sailing, sailing headed who knows where. And now though we're all here. We're not all there. CABIN FEVER!"_

"What the heck is wrong with all of you?" Rob appeared on the deck and stared out at his "crew." Most of the muppets were standing on the crew wearing fruit hats and grass skirts while dancing under the sparkling lights.

"What is this the pirates of penzance?" Rob cried. "Where's the crew?" A few people raised their hands. "I mean MY original…

"Ragetti! Get that fruit off your head! You too Pintel!" Gibbs hollered.

Pintel and Raggetti moved forwards sheepishly, "Sorry boss. It was such a catchy tune, and things HAVE been rather quiet lately." Gibbs rolled his eyes and yanked the fruits off their heads, "Going native. Shameful! And such a waste of fresh fruit. We'll all catch scurvy."

Rob groaned, "Where's Will? And Mr. Arrow?"

Pintel and Raggetti eyed a barrel guiltily. Rob groaned and hurried over to the barrel, pulling the top off. Will and Mr. Arrow were both shoved in the bottom. "And I thought things were bad with Jack." Will grumbled.

"Hold on, I'll get you guys out," Rob sighed. He offered Will a hand while Mr. Arrow sprawled out on the deck.

"I NEVER!" he raged, "I'll have tied to the mast and…"

"Mr. Arrow," Rob sighed, "What did we talk about?"

"No more anticipating your will," Arrow muttered.

"Very good," Rob said, "Now then… role call if you would be so kind."

"Of course sir," Mr. Arrow withdrew a scroll from his coat.

"Tim Curry!" Rob yelled out. No one responded, but Sophia emerged out of the galley in time to hear it and rolled her eyes behind her gold framed spectacles. "Every day you call out that name! And there's never anyone by that name onboard…"

"I'm just making sure that he's not on the ship like in Muppet Treasure Island," Rob insisted.

"What's so scary about Tim Curry?" Sophia asked.

"If you saw Rocky Horror Picture Show you wouldn't be asking that question," Rob muttered.

"Barbosa, Hector," Mr. Arrow called out.

"Aye, aye sir," Captain Barbosa said with a low bow.

"Gibbs, Joshamee."

There were a few snickers at Gibbs's real name. "Aye," Gibbs sighed before clocking Pintel across the head with the back of his hand.

"Godmother, Sophia."

"Right underneath your abnormally large nose," Sophia muttered.

"Such insubordination!" Mr. Arrow grumbled, "I'll have her…"

"Mr. Arrow…" Rob scolded.

"Oh… very well, sir. Emma Hatter."

"Does he mean me?" Emma asked Rob.

"Yes."

"But in school they told me my last name was…"

"Just go with it, Emma."

"Okay, but I think you're making this very difficult for kindergartner…"

"ENOUGH!" Rob yelled, "Raise your hand if you're not here." Rob waited a few moments. "Well, what do you know? Everyone's here. Barbosa what is it you have to say?"

"Ladies and gentlemen," Barbosa said, "And whatever you are." he added looking at Gonzo. "We are nearing Disney Asia. We'll be arriving in a matter of weeks. This puts us in a bit of a fix. Some of us will be need to be paying Sao Feng a visit, I don't particularly relish that meeting. While others will need to go and fetch the ancient charts from a hidden temple. I don't imagine that will be any more enjoyable."

"Who's S-s-sao Feng?" Jackie asked, "W-w-why do we need to see him?"

"Sao Feng is one of the nine pirate lords," Barbosa stated, "He has a particular investment in current events, plus he should be able to provide us with an adequate crew and ship."

"What's wrong with what we got?" Rob asked.

Barbosa raised an eyebrow before looking around the deck. At that moment, the self-firing cannon erupted shooting Beaker across the deck as a bunch of rats scurried around the deck in a panic. "Do you want the short list or the long?"

"Never mind," Rob grumbled.

-888-

The crew was sleeping as Will quietly slipped from his hammock. He tugged on his leather boots when he was startled by a faint cry. Will froze and then glanced over his shoulder. Emma was still asleep on her stomach, one hand dangling over the side of the hammock. Still clasped, in her fingers was Jack's compass, though it was sliding from her loose grip. Will lunged forwards and caught the compass before it struck the ground. Will breathed a sigh of relief as the arrow swiveled towards the right. Will glanced up and saw that it was pointing towards Elizabeth's sleeping form. Her blonde hair framed her face, a small smile graced her face. She was having a good dream.

Will scowled at a fierce aching longing that resonated throughout his body whenever he looked at and replaced the compass into Emma's little hand. He lifted her arm and laid it at rest besides her face. The arrow spun wildly about in a circle as soon as she clasped it. It was searching for Kelsey, Will had no doubt, but it couldn't find her either. Will paused to lovingly smooth the hair out of Emma's face before silently leaving the sleeping quarters.

Sitting on the deck, was a large tarp. The crew members had given it a large berth, particularly the muppets. Gonzo had tried to lift it up and peer beneath it at one point only to have Sophia slap his furry hand away.

"Don't touch," she snapped.

"Alright, alright," Gonzo cried stepping away, "What's underneath it anyway?"

"Just don't touch it!" Sophia ordered. Gonzo backed away this time. Sophia had paused for a moment, letting her hand drift to the tarp. Tears had appeared in her eyes, but when Will approached her, she flicked them away and quickly found another chore to busy herself with.

The moon was bright, but Will didn't need it. Instead, he withdrew a crystal from around his neck. It was a bright sky blue color and lit up the night sky as he gazed at it, Kelsey's crystal. The one that she had used to heal him on more than one occasion, the one that she had used to read The Book when she hid from Sophia, the same one which she had stuck into The Spirit on the day they fled the ship. Will had given Rob the Josh Groban CD, but he had selfishly swiped the crystal from The Spirit as soon as they loaded the vehicle aboard _The Hispaniola_. It was all that he had left of her.

_The Spirit _gleamed in the blue light of the crystal and Will sighed heavily. _If your Mistress could see you now… _The Spirit was still fish shaped, but had so many dents and scratches that Will couldn't read the strange gleaming letters written on the side, even if it WAS written in English. Kelsey had always called it _The Spirit of Atlantis_ after some plane from her world. The Spirit seemed sort of lonely hidden away from the crew like it too missed its owner.

Will swallowed a lump of emotion and knelt besides the vehicle to untie the ropes that secured it to the deck. He was so focused on his task that he didn't realize the person behind him until he felt a tennis shoe lightly press against his fingers flattening them on the wooden deck.

"If Kelsey were still alive, she would chop the hands off anyone who would try and commandeer _The Spirit_, no exceptions."

"Rob!" Will cried in a harsh whisper, "What are you doing out here?"

"Protecting my late sister's prized possession," Rob said coldly, "Sophia's gonna kill you when she finds out."

"She's not going to find out," Will whispered, sliding his fingers out from underneath Rob's shoe. "Or at least I'll be gone by the time she finds out."

"Where do you think you're even going?" Rob cried, "Can you even drive this thing?"

"Yes," Will said. Rob stared at Will skeptically. "I'll learn," Will grumbled.

"Will, you can't just leave," Rob cried, "You said you would help me."

"I will," Will sighed, "Someone needs to go after the charts. Who else could we send? Barbosa?"

"I guess," Rob murmured, "Are you sure that's your reason for leaving?"

"What other motivation could I have, Rob?" Will asked as he untied the knots, pausing now and again to flex his still tender fingers.

"This has nothing to do with the fact that you're in the doghouse with Elizabeth," Rob stated mildly.

"What?" Will turned around fast, his voice louder than he intended.

"I'm not stupid, Will," Rob snapped, "You've been avoiding Elizabeth like the plague lately. I don't know what your problems are, but I know that something is up between you too."

"Elizabeth has nothing to do with this," Will snapped, mentally cursing Rob's talent for reading faces.

"Whatever," Rob shrugged, "Scoot over, I'm driving."

"WHAT?" Will cried, "No. Are you insane?"

"Coming from the man who's about ready to steal a vehicle that he can't even drive and go into the Temple of Doom by himself, and who HATES flying?" Rob retorted.

"You can't just leave," Will said.

"I didn't," Rob said, "I left a note."

"Pfft, a note," Will rolled his eyes.

"Okay, wise guy, what was your plan when everyone woke up and saw that you were gone?" Rob pointed out. Will's eyes narrowed, but he didn't say anything. "See, I'm not stupid," Rob said, "You're going to need help."

"You're the captain, Rob," Will said.

"I left Barbosa in charge," Rob said.

"You really _are _insane," Will sighed.

"If he tries anything fishy Sophia will turn him into a cupcake," Rob said, "She'll look for any excuse."

"And you're just going to leave your innocent cousin by herself surrounded by pirates?" Will asked.

"I'm leaving her with Elizabeth, Alice, Jackie, and Sophia," Rob pointed out, "And if anyone gets past all four of them, they still have to take down Emma, and she's got a little too much of her cousin in her."

Will leaned on the The Spirit and heaved a sigh, "More and more like your sister everyday." He didn't mean it as a compliment this time.

"You keep telling me that it's a familial thing," Rob snapped. Will groaned as Rob made his way around the vehicle snipping the cords right and left. "The way I see it," Rob said as he slashed through the cords. "You have two options. A.) you can come with me. We'll try to find a way into the mysterious temple and hopefully get out again with the charts AND our lives. We'll let Barbosa handle the crew and negotiations with Mr. Feng. Besides given my families' track history it would probably be better if I wasn't a part of the negotiations if a borderline villain is there."

"And Option B?" Will demanded.

"Option B," Rob stated making his way towards the bow of the ship, " If you don't step away from my sister's baby, I'll wake up Statler and Wardorf." Rob smirked, "You won't get too far. Before they wake up the whole ship."

"You're bluffing," Will stated.

"Oh," Rob grinned wickedly, tucking his hands behind his back. He leaned over the edge of the bow just above the heads of the sleeping figureheads. He opened his mouth, but Will sprang forwards and tackled Rob to the ground, one hand clasped over his mouth. The two dropped to the ground roughly, both of them wincing at the noise it made when they struck the wooden planks.

Rob mumbled something against Will's palm. Will sighed and pulled his hand away. "What did you say?"

"I said darn you're quick," Rob muttered.

"I used to practice swords three hours a day," Will snapped, "I _better _be quick."

"Leggo of me, Will," Rob grumbled as Will released him abruptly.

"Will," Rob sighed, "You keep saying that you trust me."

"I do," Will insisted.

"Then you have to trust me all the time," Rob insisted, "Not just when it's convenient for you."

"Convenient for me?" Will snapped with restrained fury, "Nothing's been _convenient _for me since… since… since well before I met your sister." Will pressed his head into his hand.

Rob gazed at him for a few seconds before he held out his hand, "So are you gonna let me drive or not?"

Will gazed at him before pressing the crystal into his palm. "Thank you," Rob smiled. He pressed the crystal into the slot with his hand on the inscription pad and the bright fishlike eyes flared to life, lighting up like headlights. "All aboard," Rob grinned.

"I'll live to regret this," Will sighed.

"Do you want to stay here with the Muppets instead?" Rob asked.

"Move over," Will grumbled shoving Rob to one side as he climbed aboard.

"Hang on," Rob smiled, as they took off, "And try not to throw up this time."

"Don't make me toss you overboard, _Captain_."


	21. Tests of Loyalty

**The Great Disney Adventure III: Heroes and Villains**

**A Disney story by talking2myself**

**DISCLAIMER: **See Chapter 1.

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**: Yes, it's been a month. I know. I know. It's really unfortunate, but I have been swamped with homework as well as a lot of new other distractions. School is done so I will have more time to write. Thanks for sticking with me.

**Chapter. 21 Tests of Loyalty**

"He left a NOTE?"

The entire cabin shook as Sophia crumpled the piece of parchment in her fist. She tossed it onto the table where the paper ball rolled a few inches before unfolding. Rob's block handwriting could barely visible amidst the note's wrinkles.

"I'll kill him!" Sophia continued to rant to the women in the cabin. Elizabeth lifted the note, smoothed it on her knee and continued to read it… for the third time that night. Alice was sitting on the edge of her hammock, her head in her hands while Jackie sat next to her patting her back in an awkward comforting gesture. Emma sat on the floor, compass in one hand, she tried to stay out of the way as Sophia paced back and forth. "I'll kill him!" Sophia repeated, "Then, Kelsey will get to meet him in the hereafter and _she _can kick his butt for stealing her _Spirit_."

"Sophia, please," Elizabeth sighed, shooting a glance at Emma, "You're not helping the situation."

"We wouldn't _have _a situation if it weren't for them," Sophia snapped, "They didn't even tell anyone."

"They were right," Elizabeth said quietly, "We would have to split up at some point. Will… Will is probably the most qualified person to go. He'll… he'll take care of Rob."

"So much for our captain," Sophia sighed. Alice stared at the black tops of her shoes.

"I can't believe he left," Alice sighed, "He just left Emma… and me."

"He'll be okay, Alice," Emma piped, "Will's practically a prince. He can make sure nothing bad happens."

"I suppose," Alice murmured.

"He left Barbosa in charge of the negotiations," Elizabeth said, "And until they return… I'm in charge of the crew. Are there any objections?" No one said a thing. "Very well then," Elizabeth sighed, "I suppose that there's very little for us to do apart from continue on the course as we discussed before. We will go consult with Sao Feng and hope for the best. Now." Elizabeth got to her feet, "I believe we all have duties to do."

"I should swab the deck," Sophia said.

"I n-n-need to help patch some of those sails," Jackie said.

"I need to keep Rizzo from eating all the breakfast porridge," Alice sighed.

"I need to stare at the compass until it changes," Emma added, "I'll take my breakfast in my hammock. No calls."

"Eh Ahem," Sophia scowled.

Emma sighed, "Please."

"I'll consider sending you a bowl," Sophia sighed, "Come along. You can carry the bucket."

Emma groaned, but followed Sophia out of the cabin, the compass still stuffed in her pocket. Alice and Jackie pulled their needles out of their apron pockets and slowly began patching up the worn sails. Alice was normally a quick sewer, but today Jackie had two patches completed while she struggled with her first one.

DISNEY ASIA

"How you holding up Will?" Rob turned over his shoulder to glance at Will. The two of them had been flying for hours. The former blacksmith was sitting in the backseat, looking skyward, his knees drawn up to his chest in an effort to keep the contents of his stomach _inside _his stomach. A faint green hue was spreading across his features.

"I'll be fine as long as I don't look down," Will murmured. Will had ridden on the _Spirit _so many times with Kelsey. He thought that he would have somehow grown accustomed to the feeling as he flew. No such luck, the vertigo hadn't left him yet. Besides that, Kelsey had flown the vehicle so many times that she was able to keep it steady and avoid turbulence. Riding with Rob was like riding with a teenager just learning how to drive.

"Do we even know where this temple is?" Rob asked, "Singapore?"

Will groaned, pressing a hand to his forehead, focusing on anything was making him feel worse. "Sao Feng is in Singapore," Will said, "The temple… well it's not far from Singapore… at least I don't think it is."

"Think?" Rob cried, "You don't know where we're going?"

"All I have to go off of are a few past conversations with Jack," Will shrugged helplessly, "They don't put these things on maps."

"Great," Rob sighed. The two of them flew along for a few moments. A sudden change in wind caused the vehicle to jolt. Will let out a very unDisneylike word and his hand immediately gripped the side of The Spirit until his knuckles turned white. Rob had initially enjoyed Will's motion sickness as bad karma for trying to escape, but now he felt genuinely sorry for the man.

"Maybe we should land for a little while…"

"I'll be fine," Will insisted, "Just… avoid any turbulance." He buried his face in his hands staring at the floor of The Spirit. "Kelsey won't be happy with me if I ruin her paint job," he muttered under his breath.

Silence resumed. Painful, heavy, uncomfortable silence.

"Okay," Rob finally cried after a while, "I have to ask. What is the deal with you and Elizabeth?"

"There's no deal," Will snapped back quickly.

"Right," Rob muttered. He jerked his hand on the inscription pad causing the vehicle to wobble back and forth.

"Rob!" Will yelped clinging desperately to the sides of the Spirit. "Stop it."

Rob shrugged, "My hand slipped."

"Liar," Will snarled.

"Yeah, lies are dangerous," Rob retorted, "Now _you _tell the truth or my hand might slip again."

Will glared at Rob. His brows creased and his lips tight together in an angry line. The expression used to be unfamiliar to Rob, but it was starting to look more and more commonplace the more time they spent together.

"Let me put it this way," Will sighed, "What would you do if Alice cheated on you?"

"Did Elizabeth…?" Rob gasped.

"Just answer the question!" Will snapped curtly.

Rob sighed, "For starters… she wouldn't cheat on me. But if she _did_… well… it would be hard, but I love her. We would find a way to work past it."

"I thought you might say that," Will murmured sadly, "Now. What if Alice cheated on you AND committed some grave crime. Could you still love her?"

Rob struggled to keep his fingers still on the Spirit's hood. "Well… I'm… I'm sure that she could justify it to me. That… that would be really hard. It… it would depend on what she did. And why."

"Okay," Will said with a sad sigh, "Now… What if Alice cheated on you, committed a grave crime and because of said crime, I was killed. Could you find it in your heart to forgive her? After all of that?"

Rob whipped his head around to face Will, "Will… did Elizabeth have something to do with my sister's death?"

Will looked down and actually made eye contact with Rob. For a moment, there was something like fear in Will's eyes. Rob had his answer. He was about to say something else when suddenly The Spirit jolted roughly to one side, flinging Rob over the side. Rob clung to one of the Spirit's fins, his legs dangling in the breeze.

"Rob!" Will cried. Will was still upright since he had such a deathly tight grip on the sides of The Spirit. The Spirit was spiraling into a nosedive with the two men clinging to it like drowning victims cling to a spar of wood.

"I'm fine!" Rob scrambled back over the edge into the backseat. "Hit the inscription pad! Quick!"

Will moved forwards, slapping at the pad with the palm of his hand. The vehicle suddenly jerked upwards roughly.

"GENTLY!" Rob roared.

"I'm trying!" Will snarled. He managed to settle into the driver's seat. He eased his hand over the pad while Rob leaned over the side of the ship.

"Oh that's not good!" Rob murmured. A collection of arrows had struck the side of the Spirit. "There's people shooting at us… not good." The Spirit rocked again, but not as roughly this time. Rob clung to the seat. Arrows had struck again and were sticking out of the hood of the Spirit. "WILL! What are you doing?" Rob growled.

"I don't know!" Will cried, his hand still resting on the pad, "I have no idea how to drive this thing!"

Rob managed to sit upright and snarled, "God! What are you a female driver?"

Will turned around to glare at Rob, "Come again?"

"I'm just resisting the urge to make another eunuch joke," Rob snapped.

Will glared at Rob intensely this time before sharply jerking his hand on the inscription pad. Rob let out a yelp as the entire vehicle flipped over in the air. Rob flew through the air before landing roughly in the back seat. Rob lay there on his stomach, winded and wide-eyed.

"Does the peanut gallery have anything else to say?" Will snapped over his shoulder.

"No, The Peanut Gallery is gonna shut up now," Rob said quickly.

"Good," Will said, "Now hang on, I'm gonna try and lose them… OH MY DISNEY!"

Rob glanced up in horror just to see what Will saw. Coming towards them was what looked like the head of a flaming dragon. Rob realized that it was a Chinese rocket. By some divine miracle, Will managed to swing the entire the vehicle to the left. The rocket mostly missed them, but it clipped one of the fins. The entire vehicle nosedived downwards again. Will and Rob screamed as they clung to the Spirit as it plummeted earthwards, leaving behind a smoking trail like a falling star.

-888-

"YOWCH!" Mim shrieked and hopped backwards as she stepped on a thorn. After spending days trouncing through forests, Mim was a little weary of traveling. The smug chuckle from her traveling companion didn't improve her mood. "You don't have to enjoy it so much," she snarled at the thin cloaked figured.

"Sorry," the figure said, though the voice lacked sincerity.

"Hmmph," Mim grumbled, "I can't believe I'm resorting to this. Asking YOU for help to get into The Thirteen."

"I'm as surprised as you are," the figure said, the rich tenor voice was smooth and silky. Dark, but clear. "I never thought that I would be pleading your case. But you know… politics makes for strange bedfellows."

"None stranger than you," Mim grumbled.

"Hmm," the figure muttered, "If I had a quarter for every time I heard that. And coming from the one with purple hair."

"Bah," Mim grumbled, "If we didn't seem to have a mutual lust for revenge I wouldn't even be talking to you."

"The feeling is mutual," the figure grumbled, "Why are you so nervous?"

"Because this plan is stupid!" Mim snapped, "Utterly stupid! We'll be lucky if they don't kill us on sight!"

"That's why I plan on sending you in first," the figure retorted, "They may be annoyed by you, but I doubt they'll kill you."

"I should turn around right now!" Mim cried, "Do you realize what I'm risking by agreeing to this cockamamie scheme?" The gray cloaked figure pushed aside a large tree branch and continued to make his way forwards, not heeding the purple haired witch. "I mean it!" Mim yelled. Being ignored was rapidly becoming her biggest pet peeve. She would humor the Thirteen, but not her new "partner."

"I know," her partner snapped, "And my schemes are not cockamamie."

"That's debatable," Mim muttered.

"Do you know of any that have failed?" her partner asked mildly, "They have their twists and turns, but in the end…" The figure waved an almost delicate hand.

Mim scowled at the figure, "Disney curse that voice of yours. It's like herding lemmings whenever you talk."

"Nice isn't it?" the figure grinned behind the gray cloaked cowl. "You should hear me when I sing."

"I'll pass," Mim said, "Just keep moving. It's a long way to Hades's lair."

-888-

"So how does that thing work exactly?" Rizzo peered over Emma's shoulder at the compass.

"It shows you your heart's desire," Emma said.

"Wow, really?" Gonzo cried, "Can I try? Let me see! Let me see!"

Emma passed the compass to Gonzo. "Hey!" Rizzo piped, "I asked! I wanted to see it!" Rizzo reached for it.

"No, it's my turn," Gonzo tugged it back.

"Gonzo!" Rizzo scowled.

"Guys," Emma shook her head as the two muppets tugged on the compass, spinning around in a circle. Emma rolled her eyes. "GUYS!"

The two tumbled to the deck and as the compass bounced out of her grip and rolled a short distance away. "Oh come on guys!" Emma groaned. She got to her feet and wandered across the deck.

The compass rolled away as the two muppets scrambled after it with Emma trudging behind them. Alice sat a short distance away, patching the sails and watching the two muppets fumbling for the compass.

"Emma, what…?" Alice asked.

"Those two don't know how to share very well," Emma grumbled.

Alice set down her mending and got to her feet. Gonzo and Rizzo were a short distance away in a dog pile. Rizzo had Gonzo by the nose while Gonzo was trying to tug him off. Alice bent down to pick up the compass.

As she did, another, Unreal hand reached at the same time. "Oh!" Alice jumped backwards and looked up into the sea green eyes of a sandy-haired boy. "I'm sorry," the boy said with a small smile, "This yours?" he handed her the compass.

"Oh. No, thank you," Alice said, "This actually belongs to my friend."

Emma materialized at Alice's shoulder and swiped the compass. "Thank you Alice. HEY! YOU TWO! LET ME TEACH YOU TWO A COUPLE LESSONS ABOUT SHARING!"

The boy chuckled at Emma as she stormed over to untangle the two muppets. "She's a very brave little girl."

"Absolutely fearless," Alice agreed, "It seems to run in their family."

The boy offered his hand. "My name is Jim. Jim Hawkins."

Alice accepted it, "Alice."

Jim smiled at her, "I'm impressed. I've been living with those two for years. I've never been able to get them to listen."

"Emma is a particularly tenacious little girl," Alice smiled.

"Emma Hatter?" Jim asked. Alice nodded.

"Wow," Jim smiled, "A Hatter."

"The Littlest Hatter," Alice said, "Quite a charming girl once you get to know her."

Emma walked past the two of them, buffing her compass on her shirt. "Emma, where's Gonzo and Rizzo?" Alice asked.

"In timeout," Emma muttered. She passed Alice the compass, "I'm going to get some of that porridge you made earlier. Sophia wouldn't bring me any. She said that "mouthy little girls must get their own porridge."

Alice shook her head at the child while Jim tried to stifle his chuckles behind his hand. "She's Captain Hatter's cousin right?"

At the mention of Captain Hatter, her face fell. "Yes. Yes she is."

"I'm sorry," Jim insisted, "Did I hurt you somehow?"

"Oh no," Alice sighed, "The Captain just… left. Left us. Left the ship. Left the crew." _Left me_.

"Oh," Jim said softly, "That is unfortunate, but I imagine he has some sort of plan."

"Some sort," Alice shrugged sadly.

"Well, he must," Jim said, "Why else would anyone leave a pretty girl like you." Jim smiled at Alice, "I better get to my duties, maybe get Gonzo and Rizzo out of timeout if it pleases bosun Emma. Good day, Alice."

"Of course," Alice said, her lips quirking up in a small smile. The compass in her hand whirled around once before it pointed at Jim's retreating form.


	22. With a Little Help From My Friends

**The Great Disney Adventure III: Heroes and Villains**

**A Disney story by talking2myself**

**DISCLAIMER: **See Chapter 1.

**Chapter. 22 With a Little Help From My Friends**

HADES'S LAIR

EARLIER

"But.. But that's impossible!" Hades stammered as he stared at Hercules's glowing figure. Hercules was silhouetted against the sky. Cradled in his arms was the ghostly form of Meg's soul. Hercules's whole body glowed like a candle and he met Hades's beady yellow eyes fearlessly. "You can't still be alive!" Hades cried, "You'd have to be a…"

"A god?" Pain and Panic cried peering around his legs.

The light from Hades's body flared to a blinding white light. Hades let out a shriek as bright flames burst up and down his body. "Hercules!" he begged, "Stop! You can't do this to me! You can't.."

PFFT!

Hercules didn't even glance at Hades as he punched his face with his fist and continued walking out of his lair. Hades said sheepishly, "Fine. okay. listen. Hah! Okay, well, I deserved that, Herc, Herc, Herc!" Hades chased after Hercules pitifully, "Can we talk? Y-Your dad, he's a fun guy, right? So maybe you could put in a word with him and he'd kinda blow this whole thing off, you know? Meg, Meg, talk to him," he lifted Meg's head and placed it near his face, "a little schmooze-" Hercules glared at Hades and then punched him so hard that Hades flew off the cliff and into the vortex of souls that was his kingdom.

The souls of the underworld swam to the surface. They let out screeching howls as the clung to his arms and body trying to pull him back under the surface.

"Eew! Get away from me! Don't touch me! Get your slimy souls off me!" Hades wailed as he tried to shake them off.

Down the hallway, Rourke shifted at the sound of Hades's yelling. He rolled his crystal eyes, "I'll kill him." He stumbled down the hallway. It was difficult for him to do anything gracefully since he had been crystallized. His heavy plodding feet clanked as he moved.

He made his way to the edge of the cliff. Hades's minions leaned over the edge and peered at the sight of Hades nearly drowning in the vortex.

"He's not gonna be happy when he gets outta there," Panic said shaking his head.

"You mean, _if _he gets outta there," Pain pointed out.

"If," Panic repeated with a smile, "If is good."

"Oh for the love of…" Rourke rolled his eyes, "Move over!" he shoved the two out of the way before swan diving into the vortex.

"Taxi!" Hades shrieked as he struggled to keep his head above water, "I don't feel so good, I feel a little-"

"Would you pipe down already?" Rourke cried fighting off several souls and reaching out to grip Hades's arm. He hauled Hades towards the surface. Both of them gasped for air for a few seconds before they were sucked underneath by the souls. Rourke let out a feral sounding roar before slashing at them with his mighty crystal arms. The souls shrieked and released their grip on the two villains. Hades lunged upwards and the two of them flopped onto the rocky surface.

"Oh my Gods! He's alive! He's alive! What do we do?" Panic wailed as he scurried around the two men.

"Just shut up and…OWW!" Panic accidentally stomped on Pain's foot as he raced around the two men.

"Will both of you shut UP!" Hades roared, red fire flared up from his hair instantly drying his wet body. Hades stood there for a few moments heaving angry panting breaths. Rourke stood up, his shiny body slick with the water. It slid harmlessly off his crystalline body as he placed a hand on Hades shoulder.

"Easy hot shot," Rourke said, "Are you alright?"

"Fine," Hades spat. It was as close as Hades would ever get to gratitude.

"I think I'll go clean up your lair," Rourke said with a smug smile. He stepped around Hades's minions and walked into the lair, filled with the pleasant buzzing feeling that the God of the Dead was now in his debt.

-888-

PRESENT DAY

The crash jarred every bone in Rob's body. He didn't remember much. Just flying through the air and screaming until he thought he would never get his voice back. He was faintly aware of Will crawling towards the keypad, slapping at with his hand. Fortunately for both of them, the nose of the vehicle jerked upward. Though it was hard for Rob to realize how lucky they were while they skidded roughly across the jungle like ground. Rob and Will were flung bodily through the air. Rob rolled roughly for a few paces before he crashed into something (Will, he imagined) and the ground mercifully came to a halt.

For a moment, Rob just laid there, thoroughly amazed that he was still alive and more grateful than he could ever put into words that the world had stopped flipping cartwheels. The next thing that he felt was pain. Intense pain radiating from several points on his body. Mostly his back, arms and legs. Rob groaned and flipped onto his back. Then, a cold feeling of fear clenched his throat.

Will.

"Will!" Rob croaked, he rolled over onto his hands and knees. He felt someone reach over and grip his shoulder in order to steady him. Rob glanced up and saw Will's face. A trickle of blood was running down from his nose. "WILL!" Rob cried.

"I'm fine!" Will insisted in a raspy voice. "Well, as fine as I can be." He wiped the blood away with the side of his sleeve. "Your head tried to introduce itself to my nose," Will stated. He slowly, painfully got to his feet. He wobbled unsteadily for a few seconds before he offered Rob his hand.

"Sorry," Rob stammered. A sharp stabbing pain pierced his rib cage. "I think I broke something," he muttered. "Where's The Spirit?"

"Over d'ere," Will murmured, rubbing his nose. The Spirit was dinged up. The fin was completely bent AGAIN and one of the "eyes" of the vehicle was completely cracked.

Rob's shoulders slumped, "Kelsey's going to kill me."

"She's going to kill boff of us," Will murmured, his voice sounding more nasal. He limped over to The Spirit and plucked the crystal from the slot. "Thank goodness! The crystal's still intact," Will sighed with relief. Inhale," Will ordered. Rob drew a breath as Rob pressed the crystal to his inflated ribs. Rob felt a cool rush replace the pain and by the time he exhaled, the pain was gone.

"Thanks," Rob sighed, "Now… your turn." Rob took the crystal pressed it to Will's nose and jerked it into place. Will let out a yelp, there was a blue flash and Will's nose was back to normal.

"Thank you," Will muttered gruffly.

"What the heck happened?" Rob cried.

"As far as I can tell we were shot out of the sky," Will said.

"By who?" Rob asked anxiously.

"Let's not linger to find out," Will said. He glanced at The Spirit. "We've crashed this thing so many times. I'm amazed that it managed to stay in one piece for so long. You think I'd be used to the crashing by now."

"How are we going to get this thing moved?" Rob asked, "And where a we going to move it do. Do you think we could…"

"SHH!" Will suddenly hushed, "Did you hear something?"

"DUCK!" Rob screamed. He yanked Will down as an arrow zoomed over their heads before burying itself into the hood of The Spirit. Rob lifted his head and glanced back over his shoulder. "Ugh," he groaned, "Seriously? You have to add insult to injury by wrecking the paint job?"

A few seconds later, and the trees were parted. There was a swarm of men surrounding them. They all wore armor with sharp swords pointed at them. Their hair was worn long and tied back into buns. All of them were glaring at them with severe angry stares.

"Somehow I don't think diplomacy is going to help us here," Rob whispered to Will.

"It hasn't proven effective in the past," Will muttered.

One of the men stepped forwards and pointed his sword at Will's throat. "Where are your men hiding?" he demanded.

"My men?" Will asked incredulously, poking the tip of his sword deeper into Will's throat to the point where it brushed his skin, coming dangerously close to drawing blood.

"Your men!" The man cried.

"The only man I have is on the ground besides me!" Will cried.

"Hey!" Rob grumbled, "Whose the captain here?"

The sword point immediately switched from Will's neck to Rob's. Rob's eyes widened at the sword point. Will rolled his eyes, "Smooth."

"Perhaps they're a scouting party?" the only unarmed man was a skinny man with a notebook and pen and long stringy moustaches. There was something about him that remotely reminded Will of Ratcliffe. He decided that he probably wouldn't like this fellow.

"Why would the huns send only two people?" their leader thought outloud.

"Huns?" Rob cried, "Us? Really?"

"The vehicle alone is quite fascinating," the skinny man tapped the hood of The Spirit with his pen. "We have severely underestimated Mongolian technology."

"It's Atlantean, not Mongolian," Rob grumbled. He felt a sharp sting as the sword moved closer. "Oww!" Rob yelped.

"Atlantean?" the leader asked, "What stake do the Atlanteans have in this battle."

"WE'RE not Atlantean," Rob grumbled, "The vehicle is. We're American… and English, in case you couldn't tell from our accents."

"Captain Li Shang," the skinny man said, "We cannot simply let them go."

"I'm aware of that Chi Fu," Shang snapped, "He returned his gaze to the men on the ground. "Which is why they're coming with us."

THE OCEAN

Aaron stood on the edge of the boat staring out at the unchanging sea. He heaved a sigh as a furry looking muppet scurried past him. There was something that was driving him mad. It wasn't the fact that, despite the absence of the Hatters, he was STILL considered a prisoner of war. It wasn't the fact that Sophia constantly heaped chores upon chores on him just to keep him occupied (probably so he wouldn't be busy enough to stage some sort of mutiny. The thought had occurred to him, but he decided it wouldn't be worth the effort. After all, they had the same goal, at least for the moment, bring down The Thirteen). It wasn't even the fact that he had found himself in the most absurd scenario imagineable, on a ship surrounded by a bunch cabin fevered muppets all of whom were driving him to the edge of his already frayed sanity.

What annoyed Aaron the most was that no one was afraid of him anymore.

When he was with the Thirteen, Aaron had believed that he was completely in control. People would jump at his word, or at least the villains were very good at pretending to cower before him. Aaron missed the cowering.

Sophia was largely indifferent to him, but then again, Aaron had only seen Sophia display an emotion (other than annoyed) once and that was when Kelsey had died. He figured that Sophia was indifferent to pretty much everyone else from himself to Rob to Barbosa. The one person that she showed any real outwards fondness towards was Emma and even that was minimal.

Emma laughed at him. The kid actually laughed. Of course, the kid was always fearless or perhaps too stupid to figure out that she should be afraid. He couldn't figure out whether Emma was brave or just childishly naïve. He figured it was a combination of the two.

Rob hated him. There was no hiding the blatant hatred radiating in Rob's eyes. Aaron was kind of grateful that Rob had left just he could get a slight break from Rob's smoldering animosity. Aaron thought that his hatred gave him courage. Rob might have been afraid of him at one point, but not anymore. Plus, it was as though his sister's spirit had passed on her courage to her brother. He needed to be brave.

Will was polite to him, but he sensed that the former blacksmith hated him as much as Rob. Will had been close to Kelsey. It was that loyalty to Kelsey that was probably what kept Will from tearing Aaron limb from limb. He was too much of a gentlemen to disobey Kelsey's final wishes. Will also seemed a little disgusted by Aaron. As though his personality was whiny and childish.

Alice gave him a wide berth, but she didn't seem very frightened by him. She didn't like to be around him, that was certain, but she seemed to feel safe when Rob was near. Now that Rob was gone, she s

In fact, the only real person that he could intimidate anymore was Jackie. He spent most of his time with her anyways. Mainly because she didn't immediately try to run away from him.

"So who is that sandy haired boy following Alice around?" he asked.

Jackie looked up at him nervously and then glanced over at Alice. She was working alongside Jim Hawkins. He was helping her raise the sails while Rizzo and Gonzo called out advice from the sidelines.

"That's J-J-Jim," Jackie said. She was wandering up and down the deck, not completely sure why Aaron was insisting on following her.

"Jim huh?" Aaron shrugged, examining his fingernails. "Poor Rob."

Jackie knew that she shouldn't even respond, but she couldn't help herself. "W-w-why?"

"Oh," Aaron smirked, "He's not even gone for a few days and she's found some new guy to occupy her attention. But hey, that could be good for you?"

"G-g-good?" Jackie asked, "how?"

"Well, think about it," Aaron slung his arm around Jackie. Jackie flinched at the motion. "If Alice crushes his heart like a grape, he'll come crawling back to you."

Jackie suddenly froze. Looking back, neither person knew what caused the next incident. Maybe it was Aaron's ingratitude at Jackie for saving his life. Maybe it was years of repression that had finally caused her to snap. Maybe Aaron was just being a jerk and she got angry, but the muppets onboard the ship talked about the next event for years afterwards.

Jackie flung off Aaron's arm and glared at him behind her diamond shaped glasses with a fierce anger. She took one step towards him and prodded his chest with her finger.

"You listen, you!" she cried, "I know that I really, really, really like Rob. I'd do anything to make him happy. If we end up together, I want it to be because he loves me not because I was a convenient second best. Now, I've become friends with Alice for a while now and I'm sure that she loves Rob even though she's a little frustrated with him right now. If Jim is giving her something to be happy then good for her. I don't want you turning something completely innocent into a big dramatic fight because you're a spiteful, angry, little man! So… there are two options. You can stop talking right now and I'll pretend that I didn't hear this whole conversation. Or you can keep talking and when we find Kelsey I'll tell her everything and she'll kick you all the way back to the locker. Do you understand?"

Aaron stared at Jackie. His mouth hung open in disbelief. He clamped it shut and then nodded.

"G-g-good," Jackie said, as the moment passed. She smoothed her skirts and then turned on her heel, "Now, if you'll excuse m-m-me."

Aaron stood there watching her go for a few moments before he leaned against the mast for support. Jackie had just stood up to him.

For a brief moment, Aaron seriously considered tossing himself overboard.


	23. Pinky Swear

**The Great Disney Adventure III: Heroes and Villains**

**A Disney story by talking2myself**

**DISCLAIMER: **See Chapter 1.

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **HOLD YOUR FIRE! *waves white flag* yes, I know that it's been a long time since I've updated. Please see my profile for the full excuse. It has a lot to do with my health, for the record. I also have a new picture up on my deviant art profile of the lovely Sophia. Check it out. Also this has a new wiki! Big thanks to CMR Rosa for setting that up. I encourage you to check it out!

**Chapter. 23 Pinky Swear**

"Keep moving," Captain Li Shang barked at the two men. Rob gritted his teeth. His body jarred with pain with every step that he took. The crystal had mended his bones, but he was still aching all over and the pace was killing him. He could hear Will muttering under his breath as well. "Bloody slavedriver," he growled when he thought Rob couldn't hear. As the soldiers prodded them forwards, Rob found himself incredibly grateful that Will was with him.

Gradually, they arrived into a small circle of tents. At the center was a large mess tent. The men surrounding it were nothing like the warriors that had kidnapped them. They were tossing rice at each other, screaming, hollering and punching each other like a bunch of middle schoolers in a cafeteria.

"This is an army?" Will asked skeptically.

"My money's on the huns," Rob muttered.

"Hush," Captain Shang ordered, "These are China's FINEST troops." At that moment, a blob of rice splatted against the side of Shang's face. Will raised an eyebrow. "Shut up!" Shang roared as he wiped the rice off his face and flung it at Will, striking him across the cheek. Will didn't flinch, but flicked it away with two fingers.

"Daaay one," Chi Fu sighed.

Shang scowled and approached the troops. "SOLDIERS!" He bellowed. The men froze and stared at their leader. One particularly bold fellow managed to get in one final punch at the soldier he had clutched under his arm. Then, just as quickly the men parted and pointed at one fellow cowering at the bottom of the dog pile.

"HE STARTED IT!"

Once the poor soldier caught sight of Shang looming over him, he quickly hobbled to his feet.

"I don't need anyone causing trouble in my camp," Shang snapped angrily.

"Sorry …" the boy quickly cleared his throat. "I mean, sorry you had to say that. But you know what it is when you get those manly urges ... just gotta KILL something. Fix things ... uh…cook outdoors …"

Will scratched his head, "There's something very… odd about that fellow."

"What's your name?" Shang demanded, cutting off the boy's awkward rambling.

"Uh...um...uh…" The boy stammered.

"Your commanding officer just asked you a question," Chi Fu snarled, stepping forwards.

"I've got a name …" the boy stammered, "and it's a boy's name, too."

"_Very _odd," Will echoed.

"Oh Will," Rob sighed, "If you only knew…"

"HIS name is Ling," the boy muttered.

"I didn't ask for HIS name, I asked for yours!" Shang snarled.

"Ah-chu," the boy said confidently before realizing what he said.

"AH-CHU?" Shang bellowed.

"Mushu!" the boy growled under his breath.

"MUSHU?" Shang exclaimed.

"No," the boy insisted.

Rob pressed his head into his hand, "This is just hard to watch in person."

"Then WHAT is it?" Shang roared.

"It's Ping," the boy said firmly.

"Ping," Shang echoed skeptically.

"Yes. My name is Ping." The boy scratched his back awkwardly.

Will leaned closer to Rob to whisper to Rob, "Is there something I should know, _Captain_?"

"Yeeeeah," Rob said slowly.

"Let me see your conscription notice," Shang ordered.

"She's a chick," Rob whispered.

"WHAT?" Will cried, "Ping? Are you certain"

" Fa Zhou? THE Fa Zhou?" Shang cried as he read the scroll in amazement.

I didn't know Fa Zhou had a son," Chi Fu said.

"Er, he ... doesn't talk about me much," "Ping" shrugged. He made a hocking sound and struggled to spit a wad of saliva out of the corner of his mouth. It clung to his lips making him resemble a drooling baby.

"Never mind," Will sighed. "I see it now."

"I can see why," Chi Fu whispered to Shang, "The boy's an absolute lunatic!"

Shang sighed before stepping forwards, "Okay, gentlemen, thanks to your new friend Ping, you'll spend tonight picking up every single grain of rice. Tomorrow, the real work begins."

The army grumbled loudly and a few of them clenched their fists or waved knuckle-sandwiches at Ping before they moved to obey Shang's orders.

"As for you two," Shang snarled, "Come with me."

"Ugh," Rob groaned, "We're in trouble."

-888-

Emma sat on the floor of the deck. She spun the compass on its wooden deck until plopped to the ground. Even as it stopped moving, the arrow kept spinning. Emma sighed heavily. A short distance away, Sophia was on her hands and knees scrubbing mouse shaped footprints off the deck and muttering to herself. "This is starting to get really annoying," Emma sighed.

"I know," Sophia sighed, "But at least it gives me something to do. Darn rats."

"No, not that," Emma said sadly, "I meant… people leaving me."

Sophia looked up at Emma. She plopped her brush into the soapy bucket with a wet splash. "I'm sure Rob had a good reason for leaving, Emma," Sophia said gently.

"Yeah," Emma grumbled, "Just like Kelsey had a good reason to go back after Jack, and Jack had a good reason to stay behind, and Will had a good reason to go with Rob." Emma drew her knees up to her chest. She wrapped her arms around her knees and let her chin rest on them. Her blonde pigtails sprung up in disarray.

"Emma," Sophia sighed. She shifted so she was facing the girl. She knelt before Emma and took the girl's hands. "Okay," she sighed as she held them, "Go easy on me. I'm not good at these whole… touchy feely moments… now look at me." Emma slowly lifted her bright blue eyes. Sophia clutched Emma's hands and drew a deep breath, "Okay…" She gripped Emma's hands a little tighter, "I will not leave you. I will do everything within my power to stay by your side. And someday, we're going to find that Disney-forsaken locker and Kelsey and Jack will be back with us and you'll never be alone again. I just need you to trust us, and Rob, a little bit longer and then this will never happen again."

"Pinky swear?" Emma asked, wriggling her hands out of Sophia's grip and offering the godmother her smallest finger.

"What?" Sophia asked gazing at the girl.

"Look it's like this," Emma sighed. She took Sophia's finger and wrapped her pinky around Sophia's. "Where I come from, when you make a really big promise that you can never ever break, you make a pinky swear. Like this." she linked their fingers tightly.

"Okay," Sophia said with a small smile, "Pinky swear."

"Good," Emma smiled. She inched a little bit closer and wrapped her arms around Sophia. "Thanks Sophia."

Sophia cringed briefly at the contact before smiling and patting Emma on the head awkwardly, "Er… yes, very good."

-888-

Rob struggled to look older than he was. He sat up straight on the floor of Shang's tent. The sun cast sunbeams through the golden tent and they danced on the floor. A small table sat between Rob (and Will who sat besides him) and Shang. The table was covered with maps of China and small pieces that represented armies and soldiers. straightened his captain's coat. He stared straight ahead sternly, his hands folded in his lap, even though they were still bound. He didn't want to look like a child in front of Shang. _I am the captain of _The Hispaniola, _and I will NOT be frightened_. Suddenly, Rob understood why Jack always emphasized his title when he introduced himself.

Shang sat down across from them. Will was at Rob's side. They had taken Will's sword and Rob could tell that Will was uncomfortable without it. "Who are you?" Shang demanded as he sat down.

Rob swallowed hard, "I am _Captain _Rob Hatter and this is my first mate, William Turner. Kelsey Hatter is… was… my sister. I am the captain of the vessel _The Hispaniola _and I am also in a real hurry…"

"You'll leave when the captain allows you to," Chi Fu interrupted curtly. Shang raised his hand and Chi Fu reluctantly closed his mouth.

"Where is your ship?" Captain Shang asked.

"En Route to Singapore," Rob said, "Mr. Turner and I were sent to scout ahead and then you guys shot us out of the sky."

"How do we know that you aren't in league with the Huns?" Shang demanded.

"Do we look stupid?" Rob snapped angrily, "We're not Huns! I'm American and he's English. Can't you tell by his accent?"

"Silence," Shang yelled.

"With all due respect, sir," Will interrupted, "We have a very urgent appointment in Singapore and we can assure you that we are NOT in league with the Huns."

"Unfortunately," Chi Fu interrupted, "We have no way of proving that. The only proof we have is your word."

Shang was quiet for a moment. His gaze seemed to pierce into Rob's face like daggers and threatened to tear him apart. _I am a Captain, I'm not afraid._ "We need more than simply your word," Shang said at last. Rob heard Will shuffle uncomfortably before he saw Will's hand drift towards his boot. Rob noticed a slim blade tucked against the side of Will's leg. _How long has he had THAT? _Rob couldn't help but wonder. "You must prove your loyalty," Shang said.

"What?" Rob and Chi Fu cried in unison.

Will's hand slid away from the blade, his brow furrowed in confusion. "Come again?" he asked.

"You say that you are not Huns," Shang said evenly.

"You say that like you don't believe us," Rob snapped.

"I don't," Shang shrugged simply, "But if you're not Huns you should have no issue traveling with us to Singapore."

Rob relaxed a fraction, "None at all."

"And training with us," Shang added.

"Wait…what?"

"And fighting with us."

"Hold it!" Will cried, "Training and traveling are fine as long as your men can keep pace, but fighting? This is not our battle and we need to get to Singapore quickly."

"Trust me," Shang said, a dangerous edge coming to his voice, "It will be you and your Captain who will struggle to keep pace. And if you want to get to Singapore you should be willing to prove yourself should battle arise."

Rob slammed his fist down on the table between him and Shang. The little pieces on the map rattled as he did. "This is ridiculous! We're not going to get ourselves killed fighting YOUR war."

"You don't have any options," Shang said, "Either become a noble soldier or be branded a traitor to China."

Rob groaned, "Fine. Fine. Just get us to Singapore and I mean quickly!"

"Very well then," Shang smiled, "You shall stay with the troops for the remainder of your journey. Training starts tomorrow morning." An evil grinned crossed Shang's face. Rob swallowed. This was not going to be pleasant.

"Present your sword," Shang ordered.

Rob frowned. He shrugged a sword from his scabbard. It was a spare, one that Will had given him to be used in case of emergencies. "Does your sword have a name?" Shang asked.

"What?" Rob cried, "What is it? A dog?"

Shang's eyes narrowed, "All great warriors name their swords. Many of them become closer to them than they are with their wives."

He felt Will elbow him roughly in the ribcage. Will glared at him. "Yeah," Rob said, "My sword… it's name is… it's… it's um…" Rob took a long hard look at the blade in his hand. It was a small blade. Will had given him something small so he would be able carry it lightly, in some ways it felt more like a pocket knife than an actual sword.

"Switch," Rob said suddenly, "Its name is Switch."

"Switch?" Will whispered.

"Like in switchblade," Rob whispered back. Will nodded.

"Very well," Shang said, "Captain Rob Hatter do you swear to wield Switch for the Imperial Army of China and defend her from any foes that approach?"

"Pinky swear," Rob grumbled, "Oof!" he felt another sharp elbow in his ribcage. "I mean, yes, I swear… until we reach Singapore."

"I suppose that shall have to do," Shang said, "Your blade, sir." he turned towards Will. "Do you swear to wield…"

"Honor," Will mumbled.

"Huh?" Rob cried.

"My sword's name is Honor," Will sighed, "It's written on the hilt." Shang nodded, approving of his title. Rob grumbled. Will WOULD name his sword Honor. It did fit him. _Oh well, Switch fits me too_.

Will completed his vows which were very similar to Rob's, though with less titles to add to Will's common name. Chi Fu stood off to one side grumbling and writing down notes.

"You shall be given a tent each. This will have to last you the entire trip to Singapore. Try to keep up. Your… vehicle… will be placed in one of our wagons until you are able to properly fix it.

"Grand," Rob murmured.

Shang rose to his feet and swung aside the flap to the tent. "You are dismissed." Rob got to his feet wobbly and frowned.

"Thank you, Captain Li," he sighed. Will nodded and followed Rob out of the tent.

"Switch huh?"

"It was the best thing I could think of at the time," Rob muttered.

Will shrugged, "I suppose it suits you."

"Short, small, and raggedy," Rob grumbled.

"None of my swords are raggedy," Will snapped, "I meant small but feisty."

Rob offered Will a small smile, but it fell quickly.

"What's wrong?" Will asked.

"Nothing," Rob sighed, "I just get the impression that the next couple of weeks are going to be anything but pleasant."


	24. Let's Get Down to Business

**The Great Disney Adventure III: Heroes and Villains**

**A Disney story by talking2myself**

**DISCLAIMER: **See Chapter 1.

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **Yes, to make up for my absence I am attempting to crank a few more chapters out. In my experience, "song chapters" are more difficult to write than other more traditional chapters. This one was worse than usual! Partly because I LOVE this song and I wanted it to look good. I'm very pleased with how it turned out. I hope you guys like it to, I've had a lot of requests for this song.

**Chapter. 24 Let's Get Down to Business**

Rob didn't sleep very well his first night in the Wu Shong Camp. Men snored all around him and the soldiers stumbled around the camp yelling challenges to each other at all hours of the night, fist fighting simply because one looked at the other in a funny way. Rob groaned and shoved his head beneath his thin pillow. Switch was tucked safely into his scabbard and Rob held it close to him like a teddy bear, careful not to allow it to poke out one of his lungs. He had never felt so vulnerable before, surrounded by too many people with swords. People who didn't like him or Will. Eventually, he drifted asleep, but his dreams were almost worse than lying awake. Kelsey and Alice kept calling from him far away. He yelled back their names until their voices completely faded into the distance.

When Rob felt someone shake his shoulder, he growled and clung tighter to Switch. "Rob," he heard Will's gentle voice. "Come on, wake up."

"Don't want to," Rob mumbled, "Sleeping."

"Not anymore, _Captain_," Will said, "We'll be late." Rob groaned and sat up on his pallet. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes before Will handed him a bowl of rice that was supposed to be breakfast. Rob groaned louder once he caught sight of Will. Will was wearing the same robes and boots as the other soldiers. His dark hair was held back in a tight knot and tied tightly with a navy blue ribbon.

"What?" Will asked, Honor was attached to his belt.

"You," Rob groaned, "Dye your hair black and I could pass you off as a samurai. AND you had to go and name your stupid sword Honor."

Will rolled his eyes, "Don't be such a baby." He tossed Rob a set of robes that were similar to his, except that they were a dirt brown color. "Hurry up and get dressed. We don't have a lot of time."

Rob grumbled under his breath as Will left his tent. He pulled on his boots one after the other. His overall effect wasn't nearly as impressive as Will's. His blonde hair was scruffy but not long enough to tie back. He settle for tying the cloth around his head so it would hold back his long bangs. He picked up Switch and followed Will out into the sunlight, wincing as it beamed his eyes.

The sky was still painted in the warm colors of dawn and a few stars twinkled, leftovers from the night. It was all the proof Rob needed that he was up and about considerably too early. Rob swallowed hard the more awake he became. The realization that he was soon going to be going up against hardened soldiers hit him over the head like a mugger in New York City. He gripped Switch's hilt tighter and struggled to remember the few sword lessons that Will had given him.

By the time Will and Rob arrived at the training grounds most of the men had already arrived. They were bustling about with excitement. Rob felt a brief iota of relief once he caught a glimpse of the men running around attempting to do martial arts movements. Ling was struggling to balance on one foot, but only managed in landing backwards on his rump. Rob struggled not to laugh. At least he had technically seen combat before.

"ORDER! ORDER!" Chi Fu bustled about the men taking attendance notes down as he did.

"I'd like a pan-fried noodle!" one of the men called out.

"Oooh!" Another, very large man cried, "Sweet and pungent shrimp."

"That's NOT funny," Chi Fu growled before stomping back to his tent.

Will shook his head before pressing his forehead into his palm, "No discipline at all."

" Oh come on, Will," Rob smiled, "That was pretty funny." Will snorted. "You know Jack's right," Rob grinned, "You are a bit of a stick."

Will turned to glare at Rob, "Refresh my memory, which one of us practices with swords three hours a day?"

"Okay, I get it," Rob grumbled, "Shutting up."

Several minutes later, one last soldier stumbled his way into camp. Rob frowned once he caught sight of the figure. Ping. "Looks like our new friend slept in," a skinny soldier announced. The men glared at the figure as Ping stared sheepishly at the ground. "Why hello Ping," the soldier cried, "Are you hungry?"

"Yeah," the shorter soldier with a blackened eye agreed, "Because I owe you a knuckle sandwich." He gripped Ping by his robe and pulled him forwards, raising a fist. The other men whole-heartedly agreed and began pounding their fists into their palms. Will was about to draw Honor when a voice yelled over the voices.

"SOLDIERS!"

The soldiers snapped to attention. Captain Li Shang appeared in the training grounds. He wore a robe like the others, only hanging open. His scowl was still permanently cemented onto his face. "You will assemble swiftly and silently every morning," he said sternly, shrugging off his robe and revealing his finely chiseled chest. Ping was openly gawking at the sight. Rob, the only person other than Will who knew the truth about "Ping," stomped on the soldier's foot in order to make her look away. "Anyone who does otherwise," Shang continued picking up his bow and arrow, "Will answer to me."

Rob gulped. "Ooh tough guy," the soldier with the bad eye muttered.

"Yao," Shang said calmly. He whirled around with his bow and arrow aimed. The line of soldiers lept a few paces back immediately. Will gripped the back of Rob's robes and yanked him back along with the others. Shang aimed the arrow first at the soldier, Yao apparently, before adjusting his aim to a tall pole at the center of the camp. He let the arrow fly and it stuck at the top of the pole.

"Thank you for volunteering," he smiled at Yao. "Retrieve the arrow."

Yao glared at Shang before taking a few steps forwards, "I'll get that arrow, pretty boy." he growled, "And I'll do it with my shirt _on_." He took a few steps towards the pole and prepared to launch himself up the pole.

"One moment," Shang interrupted, "You seem to be missing something."

Chi Fu had emerged from his tent, he was lugging a heavy box. He was hunched over struggling just to lift the small box. Shang, however, opened the box and lifted two golden weights out as though they were two paper plates. "This represents discipline," he announced as he pressed the straps of the weight into one of Yao's hands. Yao slumped forwards when he had gripped it and struggled to lift it upwards. "And this represents strength," Shang added pressing it into Yao's free hand. When he released his grip Yao flopped to the ground completely, earning a few snickers from the other soldiers. "You will need both to reach the arrow."

Yao gritted his teeth. He leapt forwards attempting to wrap his arms around the pole. He began to slip downwards immediately. He struggled to cling to the pole, even biting the pole with his teeth. It wasn't good enough. Yao toppled to the ground roughly.

The skinny soldier, Ying, was next. He fell down the pole like a wall-walker, cart wheeling head over tea-kettle before hitting the ground. After him was the large, fat soldier, Chien Po. He plopped to the ground so hard, the pole lifted off the ground and he sheepishly hid his face. Ping was next. He plopped to the ground roughly and got up rubbing his tailbone. Rob was the biggest embarrassment, he wasn't even able to lift both of the weights off the ground.

To no one's great surprise, Will did the best, but still didn't do _good_. Years of working as a blacksmith had given him more muscle than the rest of them. He made it halfway up the pole, huffing and puffing before his arms gave out and he roughly hit the ground. Rob let out a yelp and hurried to help Will to his feet. He was suddenly terrified that Will had broken his neck. Will grimaced and managed to get to his feet, but he did walk with a limp for the remainder of the day until Rob was able to heal his throbbing ankle with the Atlantean crystal.

While the other men were at least semi-impressed by Will's performance. Shang just shook his head and muttered, "We've got a long way to go." Shang gripped an armful of staffs and threw them to the men as though they were paper straws. Will caught one lightly with one hand while Rob nearly went flying into the soldier behind him when he caught his.

"_Let's get down to business," _Shang sang, holding out his staff horizontally. He flipped up two pots, one on each side of the staff and was able to smash both of them to smithereens before they fell to the ground. "_To defeat the huns_."

"HUH!" The men cried as they held out their staffs.

"Did they send me daughters?" Shang asked, "When I asked for sons?"

One minute, Rob was watching Shang intently. The next minute he felt Ping's staff strike him hard against the back of his head.

Rob and Will both toppled to the ground along with most of the other soldiers. "Ow my aching leg," Will groaned.

"Don't be such a baby," Rob snapped.

"Some of us fell from a little higher height," Will snapped glaring at Ping, "If I didn't have principles about hitting women…"

"SHH!" Rob hissed. At that moment, Shang flipped over them. Ping was still flailing around wildly, waving his staff like a maniac. "_You're the saddest bunch, I've ever met_," Shang sang, "_but you can bet before we're through_." Ping managed to hit Shang in the stomach at least once more before Shang pried the staff out of his grip, "_Mister, I'll make a man out of you." _

The next morning, Will practically had to carry Rob out of his bed, which as more difficult since Will was still gimping a bit. Shang's plan for the day didn't help either. The men had to toss an onion into the air using a plank as a catapault and then strike a target. For once Rob, who had taken an archery class, was able to show up Will who was more accustomed to swords.

"Sheesh I thought you would be better at this," Rob cried, "You were Legolas at one point."

"I was what?" Will grumbled.

"Never mind," Rob said quickly.

"I hate archery," Will muttered.

"You're not one to complain," Rob observed, "Any reason why." "Whenever Shang says 'Fire at will' I always get a few arrows pointing my direction," Will growled.

"It's because you're the over-achiever who threw off the grading curve," Rob muttered.

"_Tranquil as a forest, but on fire within_," Shang sang.

The next activity was even worse. They had to stand on the edge of a cliff and balance a bucket of water on their heads while the other men chucked stones at them and they had to fend them off. Rob got beaten with quite a few stones, but not nearly as bad as Will or Ping. Both of them were pelted with stones. Will managed to hold them off decently, though one did hit him roughly in the jaw. Ping ended up soaked.

"_Once you find your center you are sure to win_," Shang sang with disdain, "You're a spineless pale, pathetic lot! And you haven't got a clue. Somehow I'll make a man out of you."

The day ended miserably for both Rob and Will. The final task was catching fish in the river for their dinner. Rob was too slow to catch the fish. Will was quick enough, but the slid through his clumsy fingers. Both of them ended up wet by the end of the day with only rice for dinner. Ping, however, managed to catch something, Yao's foot.

The next morning, Rob woke up hungry and grouchy. He nearly snapped off Will's arm when the man attempted to wake up him up. His foul mood didn't improve once they saw their next challenge. They had to run across a field with firey arrows firing at them from all sides. Rob actually did decent, fear was a powerful motivator and it made up for what he lacked physically. The other men weren't doing as well though.

"_I'm never gonna catch my breath_," he heard Chien Po sing

"_Say goodbye to those who knew me_," Yao moaned once he was struck in the rear end by a flaming arrow.

Still sporting burns and stinging wounds, the men made it to their martial arts training. They had to break a concrete block with their hands. Rob's hand was bright red by the end of it, but the block was still very much intact. "_Why was I a fool in school for cutting gym_?" Ling wailed after he lost most of his teeth attempting to break the block with his head.

Sparring was next. Will and Rob waited anxiously as Ping fought Shang. He was quickly knocked aside.

"_This guy's got them scared to death_," Mulan's close companion, a red dragon named Mushu worried.

"_Hope he doesn't see right through me_," Mulan worried.

Their next task, Rob began to question Shang's sanity. They had to leap from one pole to another that were plopped in the ocean. Chien Po, the biggest and least graceful had particular challenge with this. _"Now I really wish that I knew how to swim!"_

That night Rob griped to Will in his tent as they used the crystal to heal their wounds. "_These are the worst days of my life." _Rob groaned.

"_And there's probably more in store_," Will sighed.

"_I'm aching in places I didn't even know I had." _Rob flopped onto the bed.

Will sighed and ran his fingers over his sword hilt, "_I really miss my future wife."_

"_We need to get to Singapore_," Rob said.

"_Won't get far if we keep performing this bad_," Will frowned.

"_Be a man."_

The next day they fired cannons. All while they heard Shang singing in the background. "You must be swift as the coursing river. With all the force of a great typhoon. With all the strength of a raging fire, mysterious as the dark side of the moon."

Will and Rob had some experience in loading cannons from their time on _The Black Pearl _and _The Hispaniola. _Their aim was slightly better than the others. Rob caught Ling kicking Ping's stand so the rocket flew into the air, blackening Ping's face as it did. Rob laughed for the first time in days when it hit Chi Fu's tent.

They were given the rest of the day off and Rob spent his entire time sleeping and nursing a thousand aches that had appeared all over his weary body. The next morning, they had to go for a walk. Uphill. Carrying a staff across their shoulders weighted down with bags of weights on each side. Rob stumbled and threw up after the first hour. Will caught sight of it and carried Rob's weights whenever he stumbled too much, quickly handing it back once Shang turned their way. "_Time is racing towards us_," Shang sang, "_Till the Huns arrive. Heed my every order and you might survive."_

Unfortunately, Will couldn't carry Ping's weights as well. Ping fell to the ground. Chi Fu caught a glimpse of the figure lying in the road and Shang went back to retrieve the weights while casting a disappointed look at Ping.

Rob collapsed with exhaustion once they made it back to the camp. Will helped him to his feet as the two limped back to their tents in the moonlight. "Wait, hold up, Will," Rob whispered suddenly. Shang emerged out of the darkness, carrying the reins of Ping's horse. Ping was pacing the grounds. "_You're not suited for the rage of war," _Shang said coldly, handing her the reins, "_so pack up. Go home. You're through. How could I make a man out of you?"_

Will sighed and shook his head and continued on his way. "Wait!" Rob cried, "You're gonna want a front row seat for this one."

Ping stood there for a few moments. She was staring up at the massive wooden pole at the center of camp. She picked up the two discarded weights and strapped them around her wrists. She flung herself at the pole only to fall to the ground.

"Is he… she… it… crazy?" Will cried.

"Just a bit," Rob grinned.

"_You must be swift as the coursing river. With all the force of a great typhoon, with all the strength of a raging fire. Mysterious as the dark side of the moon."_

Ping tried again, wrapping the weights tightly around the wooden pole. She pulled herself up the hill, climbing up. Will stood there agog as the men emerged from their tents to get a glimpse at Ping. They called out encouragement and cheers. Their cheers caused Shang to leave his tent and investigate. As soon as he stepped out, the arrow flew through the air and landed at his feet.

The men cheered and Ping grinned at Shang from atop the pole. Rob laughed, "I want to seal this moment, and Shang's face, in my memory, forever."

In the days following, morale and performance greatly improved. Especially with Ping. She was jogging ahead of Shang with the weights bouncing off her shoulders. Rob and Will watched her spar. Will cocked his head to one side, "You sure she's a woman?"

"Are you gonna take my word for it or are you gonna go over and check?" Rob asked. Will blushed crimson. Rob burst out into laughing. "You know," he added, "Once we get Kelsey back, she might not be a bad person to have on call in case of a fight."

Will watched Ping knock Shang to the ground. Shang massaged his jaw, but then grinned at her progress. "She's a girl," Will repeated, "Thoughtfully, keep that one away from Jack."

"You worried?" Rob asked.

"Yes," Will said getting to his feet, "Jack won't stand a chance."

Over the next couple of days, Rob knew a million different ways to wield Switch, (Will probably knew two million), Will had managed to make it to the top of the wooden pole, Yao could race across a field of firey arrows with record speed, Chien Po could cartwheel across the poles in the water, and Ying could break concrete blocks with his forehead.

All the while, the men sang along with Shang, "_You must be swift as the coursing river. With all the force of a great typhoon, with all the strength of a raging fire mysterious as the dark side of the moon."_


	25. A Midnight Stroll

**The Great Disney Adventure III: Heroes and Villains**

**A Disney story by talking2myself**

**DISCLAIMER: **See Chapter 1.

**Chapter 25. A Midnight Stroll**

DISNEY SINGAPORE

The first time Elizabeth saw the sunrise over the sea in Singapore it was a truly magical sight (despite the fact that she was surrounded by rats in Hawaiian shirts enjoying the same view). The water practically glittered under the orange sky. By week two, the magic was lost and it was just another day. Elizabeth let out a heavy sigh before returning to the shack that qualified as a crude sort of inn.

They had arrived in Singapore two weeks ago and there was still no sign or word of Will or Rob. Everyone was getting a little anxious, except for perhaps the rats who were still taking in the sights. The inn was a rickety old place that wouldn't draw too much attention... or so she hoped. It was run by an elderly couple, the man was half blind and the woman half deaf. She wasn't too concerned about either of them giving anything away.

A figure emerged towards them dressed in traditional Singapore garb. A long dress clasped at the neck with a pointed straw hat with a wide brim, a strap tied under her chin nearly covering the figure's red hair.

"Anything?" she asked.

"Not a thing," Sophia grumbled, lifting the hat off her head and fanning herself with it. They had all adopted the traditional garb in an attempt to blend in. Though trying to hide a bunch of pirates was not exactly easy. Sophia had been out getting supplies from the local market. She always kept her ears open in the hopes that she would catch some shred of information about their missing companions. "No one's heard anything about them," Sophia sighed. Her eyes narrowed,"and the jerks in the market place raised the price of soap on me." Sophia scowled and Elizabeth struggled not to laugh.

"You can understand them?" Elizabeth asked.

"Meh," Sophia shrugged, "A few key phrases. Yes, No, Water. Soap. Pirate. Ship. Rice. No, I do not know Jack Sparrow. That sort of stuff."

"Of course," Elizabeth said after staring blankly trying to gauge whether Sophia was serious or not.

"Oh wait," Sophia cried as a merchant pushing his cart went by. "There he is. One second, I have a score to settle." Sophia stomped down the steps of the inn. The man glanced up and Sophia swore that she could see his shoulders slump at the sight of Sophia.

*"Hēi! Nǐ zěnme gǎn tígāo féizào de jiàgé! Nǐ yǎ guā! Shénme yàng de shǎguā nǐ bǎ wǒ de ma? Wǒ yīnggāi yǒu wǒ de yì nǚ, xīwàng nǐ dào róng yuán!" she yelled at the man.

"Bù! Zhè bùshì fēng nǚrén!" the man groaned.

"Wǒ píngshí de jiàgé gěi wǒ de féizào zhīqián, wǒ tuī nǐ de hóulóng!" Sophia screamed.*

Elizabeth stood there, utterly astonished, and watched as the two they engaged in a shouting match that she couldn't hope to understand. She shook her head before returning inside the inn. She began to wonder what Sophia considered "a few key phrases." If they had been here long enough for Sophia to learn enough of the language to pick fights with the merchants, it wouldn't be long before their odd little group to wear out their welcome

-888-

Breakfast had just been served in the inn. Alice was sitting at the table picking absentmindedly at her morning breakfast of rice. As soon as Elizabeth came in sight she bounded to her feet. "Any news?" she asked nearly knocking aside her bowl.

"Nothing," Elizabeth sighed, "And we make need to seek out a new inn if Sophia continues to pick fights with the street vendors."

Jackie had been leaning on her hand listening with disinterest, but she perked up at that. "W-w-what?"

"Something about the price of soap," Elizabeth shrugged.

"I b-b-better go make sure she d-d-doesn't hurt someone," Jackie said quickly getting to her feet and scampering out into the streets. "SOPHIA! P-p-put that down!"

Elizabeth flopped onto one of the chairs. Mr. Arrow and Squire Trelawney were there as well while some crew members waited aboard the ship. "What's that Mr. Bimble?" Trelawney asked, "I see. Mr. Bimble says that there are many dangers are on the way to Singapore if you go by land. There are hundreds of ways that they could have been injured."

Alice gasped, "Hundreds?" Elizabeth glared at Trelawney.

"Don't look at me, he said it," he shrugged, pointing at his finger. "That wasn't the most tactful, Mr. Bimble."

"Calm down, Alice," Elizabeth said gently, "They're not going by land, they're going by air. Plus Rob is a Hatter and that family has a bizarre sort of luck that must be hereditary. And Will… Will will protect him." Elizabeth's voice broke for a few moments before turning to glare at Trelawney. "And if your finger says anything like that to Emma, I'll snap it off and feed it to the sharks. Am I clear?"

Trelawney let out a yelp and held his finger close to his chest, "Um… actually, Mr. Bimble just _lives _in my finger."

"My threat still stands," Elizabeth snapped.

"Mr. Bimble won't say anything!" Trelawney insisted, "Nothing at all."

-888-

WU SHONG CAMP

Will was thoroughly enjoying the limited amount of sleep that he had received, despite the fact that he slept on a thin mattress on the lumpy ground with Honor tucked underneath his mattress. Getting a good night's sleep was difficult enough and he wasn't too happy when his sleep was interrupted. "Turner, Will." Captain Shang announced. Will sighed and sat up, pushing aside the tent flap. He sighed as he caught sight of Shang holding Rob by the collar. "I found this on the outskirts of the camp trying to find your vehicle."

"Rob," Will sighed.

"I was gonna come back for you!" Rob insisted.

"See to it that he doesn't try to make any more escapes," Shang scolded dropping Rob roughly on the ground. "Or he'll be brought up on desertion charges."

"Of course sir," Will said politely, "It won't happen again."

Rob grumbled as he sat up and Shang disappeared into the darkness. Will sighed, "Rob…"

"Spare me the lecture, Turner-san," Rob grumbled, "I had to do something."

"Deserting from the army?" Will cried, "That's your idea of something? Did it escape your notice that Shang is still three times your size?"

"I'm not that short," Rob grumbled, "Besides, I had a plan. I was going to sneak out and get The Spirit."

"Was this before or after you got caught?" Will asked.

"Will," Rob groaned, "Seriously! We need to do something! We're not _going _anywhere. The others are probably pretty close to Singapore by now." Will frowned and didn't bring up the fact that they were probably already there.

"What else can we do Rob?" Will sighed, "The army isn't moving. They don't need these troops. If you keep trying to escape they're going to give you a deserter's punishment."

"So?"

"That would be death," Will snapped pointedly.

"Eww," Rob cringed, "Yeeeeah, since you put it that way."

Will stretched out on his stomach letting his head flop back onto his thin pillow. "We have no choice but to be patient, and if you expect me to survive through tomorrow you'll let me go back to sleep now."

"Pah," Rob grumbled, "Survive? Yeah right, you'll outlive us all in this place at the rate you're going."

"Not if you don't let me get back to sleep," Will grumbled, "Now be a good boy and go back to your tent."

"You're not my dad," Rob grumbled.

"Thank God I'm not," Will muttered, "That would make me Kelsey's father as well. I don't think I could take it."

"Fine," Rob grumbled, "Pleasant dreams sweet prince." He waved his hand in a dismissive gesture before pushing open the tent flap.

"Rob." Will murmured into his pillow.

"Yeah?"

"I mean it," Will insisted, "Go back to your tent."

"I heard you the first time," Rob grumbled.

"Yes, just making sure that you didn't inherit your sister's selective hearing," Will sighed.

-888-

Switch clanked against Rob's side. He scowled and shh-ed the scabbard. He had better luck the first time he had tried to make his way out, but Will's talk of death had made Rob nervous. _Technically, I kept my promise to Will. I went back to my tent… and pulled Switch out from under my mattress. He's the dummy who didn't specify that I had to stay there_.

Rob made it to the outer perimeter of tents that marked the edge of the camp. There was a wagon located just beyond the edge. It was filled with some of the equipment. Explosives kept away from the camps lest something accidentally explode. The Spirit was stored there. Normally, there was a guard, but tonight it was Ling. He usually fell asleep on his shifts. Tonight was no different.

"Success!" Rob whispered and inched closer to the wagon.

Then, just as the wagon was in his sight. Rob felt something kick him hard in the ankles. Rob toppled to the ground and felt a blow strike him roughly across the head. He lay there stunned on the ground and groaned.

"What did you think you were doing?" a voice demanded. Rob stared up and felt a brief feeling of relief. It was "Ping." If it was Shang again, Rob would probably already be dead.

"Going for a midnight stroll?" Rob shrugged.

Ping frowned, "I don't think so." She hauled Rob roughly to his feet by his collar. "You're a deserter."

"Well, not _yet _I'm not," Rob said. Ping's grip around his neck tightened. "Hey, hey, hey," Rob cried, "You don't want to turn me in."

"And why not?" she demanded.

"Because I'm not the only one out here with secrets, _Mulan_," Rob snapped.

Mulan's face went as white as chalk. "You know?" she whispered.

"Yeah, " Rob snapped, "I know about your gender, your sick father, your smart talking lizard and your defective lucky cricket." Mulan's eyes widened.

"You've been following me?" she cried before throwing him to the ground again, "Stalking me?"

"No," Rob groaned, "Oh God, don't flatter yourself honey. I don't date women who can beat me in hand-to-hand combat. I'm just more observant than the other idiots around here."

"Don't talk so loud," Mulan hissed, "If they find out they'll… they'll…"

"Kill you?" Rob asked, "Funny they have a similar policy with deserters."

Mulan sighed, "So what now?"

"I think we've reached an accord," Rob said, "We both go back to our tents, no one gets killed. How does that sound?"

Mulan sighed and offered Rob her hand hauling him to his feet. Rob dusted himself off and smiled at her. "Thanks, nice meeting you Mulan."

Mulan winced every time he spoke her name. "Just get out of here," she hissed.

"Fine," Rob shrugged making his way back to his tent, "Oh and Mulan." Mulan turned. "If anyone asks…"

"I'll tell them the truth. You were out for a midnight stroll," Mulan said simply.

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

*Translation according to (yes I know translators are notoriously inaccurate I apologize if this is off. I don't mean to insult any speakers of the Chinese language.)

Sophia: "Hey! How dare you raise the price of soap? You dumb melon! What sort of fool do you take me for? I should have my goddaughter wish you into a newt!"

Merchant: "No! Not the crazy lady AGAIN!"

Sophia: "Give me my soap at my usual price before I shove it down your throat!"


	26. Yous, Me, and a Goat

**The Great Disney Adventure III: Heroes and Villains**

**A Disney story by talking2myself**

**DISCLAIMER: **See Chapter 1.

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**: I think you guys are gonna like this one. J

**Chapter. 26 Yous, Me and a Goat **

"CAPTAIN! URGENT NEWS FROM THE GENERAL!" Shang jumped when Chi Fu burst into his room, nearly dropping a large pile of maps. Chi Fu appeared in his tent, still dripping wet from his bath in the nearby lake. If Shang thought that it was odd that Chi Fu was clad only in a towel wrapped around his waist, another tied atop his head in a turban and clutching a pair of soggy slippers, he was at least considerate enough not to say anything. "We're needed at the front!" Chi Fu cried, shoving a slightly damp piece of parchment into Shang's hands.

Shang quickly scanned the letter before his eyebrows went soaring into his hairline. "Alert the men!" he cried, "We break camp as soon as possible. GO!"

"Yes, Captain," Chi Fu said, his feet made squish-squash sound as he scrambled out of the tent. Shang struggled to quickly change into his armor. They had been waiting for so long. The men had improved in leaps and bounds over the past several days and were forced to stay put and sit on their new skills. Now was the chance for his men to prove himself.

And for him to prove himself as a leader.

-888-

"Wake up Will!" Rob cried cheerfully. The reddish armor that he had been given clanked metallically as he threw open the tent flaps and shook Will roughly. Will's tired eyes cracked open and he glared at Rob, a glare that could have killed a weaker man.

Will groaned, "Rob. Honor is under my mattress. This had better be good."

"Yeah, yeah come on sleeping beauty," Rob grinned. He yanked the blanket off Will's body and withdrew Honor... just in case Will was in a particularly bad mood and wanted to follow through on his threats. "We're blowing this pop stand. Shang's orders. Now get up!"

"Huh?" Will asked sitting up slightly and rubbing sleep from his eyes. "Go? Where? At this hour?" Rob tossed Honor at Will. Will managed to catch it likely with two hands despite the fact that his eyes were still half closed, he was nearly knocked back onto his mattress.

"Yep. Urgent orders from the general," Rob grinned, "Emphasis on urgent. Come on get moving pirate!"

Will let out a heavy sigh. "I'm going, I'm going." He tied back his sleep mussed hair with clumsy fingers and struggled to fasten his armor to his body. By the time he was dressed in his own dark blue armor with Honor hanging from his side, he cut quite the dashing figure, like a samurai from the past. Rob looked quite scruffy by comparison, armor that looked bulky on him and Switch looking woefully plain compared to Will's fine sword, but Rob was in a good mood. So he wasn't about to notice. He brushed back his shaggy hair and tied it with a red sweat band like piece of cloth.

The men slowly emerged from their tents, some pulling on their boots and wiping sleep from their eyes. They quickly readied the wagons with Shang barking orders right and left. Mulan chose to walk besides Rob and Will after they loaded up all the wagons, it was almost as though she was afraid that Rob would accidentally let something slip and she wanted to be there to curb the damage when he did. Will didn't make any comment about it. Rob exchanged a curt nod and the army headed out on their way.

Rob's good mood didn't last too long. After they had packed up their camp and spent several days walking, Rob's excitement dissolved into boredom, then exhaustion and finally irritability. "Are we there yet?" Rob groaned as he shuffled behind Will.

Will was massaging his temples wearily. "Ask me again and I'll chuck you over the side of the cliff," Will growled. "Why are you in such a hurry anyway? Sure, it will get us closer to Singapore, but odds are we're heading to a battle."

"Anything is better than sitting there useless," Rob shrugged.

The other men seemed just as disgruntled, but they were dealing with in a… unique way. "_For a long time we've been marching off to battle_," they sang.

"_In a thundering herd we feel a lot like cattle," _Yao grumbled.

"_Like the pounding beat, our aching feet aren't easy to ignore."_

Ling sprang ahead lightly, "_Say! Think of instead, a girl worth fighting for_!"

"Why does everything here turn into a sing-a-long?" Rob groaned.

"Huh?" Mulan asked.

"_That's what I said_," Ling grinned, "_A girl worth fighting for. I want her paler than the moon with eyes that shine like stars_."

"_My girl will marvel at my strength_," Yao said, "_Adore my battle scars_."

"_I couldn't care less what she wears or what she looks like_," Chien Po smiled, "_It all depends on what she cooks like, beef, pork, chicken mmmm."_

Rob groaned as they slowly made their way through a river with their swords above their heads. The cold water splashed at their legs and Rob prayed that his armor wouldn't rust and make him look even more unkempt. The men were still singing. "Let me guess," Rob muttered, "We're the only ones who are spoken for."

"Looks like it," Will sighed.

"Great." Rob grumbled.

"_Bet the local girls thought you were quite the charmer_," Yao sang to Mulan who looked more uncomfortable than Rob had ever seen her before. She inched away from him quickly while Yao slipped and splashed in the river.

"_And I'll bet the ladies love a man in armor_," Ling sang as water leaked out of his armor.

The army passed a large group of women working in the rice fields. "_You can guess what we have missed the most since we went off to war._"

"_What do we want_?" Ling asked.

"_A girl worth fighting for_!" they answered.

"_My girl will think I have no faults," _Yao sang.

"_And that I'm a major find_," Chien Po sang. They looked at their little trio expectedly.

"Betrothed," Will said quickly.

"Claimed," Rob added.

Mulan squirmed, "Er… _How about a girl that's got a brain! Who always speaks her mind?_" Mulan finished weakly.

The men looked disgusted, "Nah!"

"Kelsey just rolled over in her grave," Rob grumbled.

"Twice," Will agreed.

"_My manly ways and turn of phrase are sure to thrill her_," Ling assured Mulan. Yao pulled Mulan to one side. "He thinks he's such a lady killer," he chuckled, slapping Mulan's horse. The horse pulled away the wagon and Ling, who was leaning on the wagon, toppled to the ground. Rob struggled not to laugh.

"_I've a girl back home who's unlike any othe_r," Chi Fu sang smugly as he tugged a fluffy coat on over his robes.

"_But the only girl who'd love him is his mother_," Yao grumbled.

As they made their way up the mountains, it grew colder and snowier. Yao started making snowmen, or more to the point snowwomen. "_But when we come home from victory they'll line up at the door_," the men sang.

"_What do we want_?" Ling sang out. Causing Will to groan and pull his helmet down tighter over his ears.

_"A girl worth fighting for_!"

_"Wish that I had_," Ling sang wistfully.

_"A girl worth fighting for."_

"Maybe if they didn't sing so much they'd HAVE a girl worth fighting for," Will grumbled.

_"A girl worth fighting..."_ Suddenly, the men stopped singing. Rob didn't understand why. Will was staring ahead, his eyes serious, but wide with horror. Rob gripped his shoulder and stood up on his toes. He gasped at the horrible sight before the men.

-888-

"Mr. Sparrow," Jack Sparrow sat perched on one of the cannons of the Black Pearl, reclined against the mast. His boots were propped up and his hat was pulled down nearly over his eyes. He gazed lazily at the figure in front of him.

"Aye, sir," the figure said, the other man was also Jack Sparrow, a near twin to the first with the same clothing, figures of speech and mannerisms.

The Original Jack stared down at the floors of the decks. "Have you ever known a woman known as Sophia Godmother?"

His double shrugged, "No, can't as I have sir."

"She kept the cleanest ships of all the seven seas," he stated, "Spent hours on her pretty hands and knees scrubbing away. I could see me own smile glimmering across the wood boards when I looked at them." Jack leapt to his feet, the old wooden floorboards rattled beneath his boots. "Now Miss Godmother would look at your floors. She would spit on them and then she would use your own tears and dreadlocks to scrub it off. THAT is how atrocious your floors are."

The second Jack shuffled his feet, "So… I take it you're not entirely pleased with the conditions of these floors."

The Original Jack scowled and removed his pistol. He pointed it at the other Jack and fired. The Jack looked shocked and dropped to the ground. His blood pooling around him.

"That is how pleased I am with the floors," Jack said coldly before shoving his pistol away. "Clean it up!" Jack roared.

"Aye aye captain!" Several other Jacks that looked just like him scrambled to pick up the dead man's body. Jack strolled up and down the deck surrounded by countless other Jacks.

The doors to the galley swung open and a very disgruntled Kelsey stomped down the deck. "Ah," Jack grinned his golden grin, "The lady of the ship decides to grace us with her presence."

"Yeah something like that," Kelsey scowled. She looked down at the pool of blood she frowned. "Fighting with yourself again?"

"He started," Jack said peevishly.

Kelsey shook her head, "Spectacular. Were you fighting over a peanut again?" "No, the goat ate it this morning," Jack said dismissively. Kelsey glanced at a goat sitting in the corner, a fluffy white thing and Kelsey's only real company. She rolled her eyes.

"I must have been truly awful in a past life," she muttered.

She sighed and shoved her way past several other Jacks to plop onto the deck and lean against the main mast. "Hello Love!" they all echoed.

"Get away from me you drunken clones," Kelsey groaned waving them away.

Jack chuckled as his clones scampered away from Kelsey. "I'd get used to it Love," Jack smiled, "If I know myself and I think I do, they'll be getting bored and you're the only woman aboard this proud vessel."

"Don't remind me," Kelsey groaned flopping back onto the deck, "Aaron's probably laughing his ass off somewhere."

"Why don't you dream up your own clones love?" Jack said, "At least you could have some snarky conversation, maybe keep a few of the other Jacks busy?"

"MY clones would have standards and don't you think I've tried?" Kelsey sighed, "Nothing."

"I'm not surprised," Jack said, "I tried thinking up Elizabeth and Will but I got nothing. I almost miss that banshee Sophia." That earned a small smile from Kelsey.

"I'm sure she's cleaning somewhere," Kelsey said somewhat wistfully.

Jack rose to his feet and leaned over the edge of the ship and stared into the horizon. All was white. The sky, the sand, everything. There was nothing to be seen apart from sand and the white sky and the ship.

"Love, be a dear and send us a wave," Jack said.

Kelsey got to her feet and leaned over the edge next to Jack, "Can't. I don't have The Book. It didn't get sent to this place. Perhaps there's someone out there that can use it. Maybe Rob can…"

Jack couldn't help but notice how sad she sounded when she mentioned Rob. "Your brother made it off the ship," Jack pointed out, "It was only us stupid honest folks that got eaten by the krakken."

"Yeah, that was pleasant," Kelsey frowned. She stuck out her tongue. "I'll never be able to eat seafood again." She grumbled as she picked away at the wood of the railing, "The Book is probably in its belly. The most powerful item in all of the Kingdom, lost beyond recall."

"Well, look on the bright side, love," Jack shrugged.

"What bright side?" Kelsey cried, "The Pearl is beached in the middle of purgatory with only yous, me and a goat to keep it."

"That IS the bright side," Jack grinned, "No Aaron here."

Kelsey smiled for a few seconds, "You got a point there." Her smile fell quickly, "No, Emma, Rob or Will either."

Jack sighed, "I'd consider that a blessing as well love. They're alive and healthy somewhere thanks to you."

"I suppose there is that," Kelsey said wanly.

The two stood there staring out at the great white nothingness of the locker. "Come on," Jack said suddenly, linking arms with Kelsey. "Let's go throw the dice with me, myself, and I."

Kelsey smiled at his attempts to cheer her, "Very well, but don't cheat."

"I won't love," Jack grinned. "But I can't speak for the rest of me's."


	27. Call Me Khaos

**The Great Disney Adventure III: Heroes and Villains**

**A Disney story by talking2myself**

**DISCLAIMER: **See Chapter 1.

**Chapter. 27 Call Me Khaos**

"This… this is bad!" Rob stammered, barely able to speak. Even to his own ears it sounded like the understatement of the century. They sky was blood red and the buildings below it had been charred to black bits. It was hard to imagine any of them as fully built houses when they looked like piles of burnt sticks. All that remained was the bare support beams of the building, rickety and unsteady.

The entire town had been razed to the ground. It was hard to believe that someone could have ever called this place home. Rob felt sick to his stomach. Will's hand found its way onto his shoulder, but the man's face had gone pale as milk.

Shang snapped out of his stunned state of horror first, "Search for survivors!" he barked riding through the town quickly. Rob felt as though an icecube dropped into the pit of his stomach. _Survivors? Who could survive this?_ Will and Rob exchanged a few nervous glances before they took a few steps forwards. Will clapped him on the shoulder once more.

"Stay close," Will whispered to Rob, "And stay away from the structures as much as possible." Rob nodded shakily while Rob turned to Mulan. "Ping," he cried, remembering at the last minute that she was still undercover, "Stick with us." Mulan gratefully hurried to his side as they mutely made their way through what used to be streets.

"Look," Mulan whispered. She took a few steps ahead before she picked up the only sign of life that they had seen so far. A doll. A doll with no owner. Mulan sadly picked up the forlorn object and held it to her chest. _Where's it owner?_ Rob thought miserably. He prayed that the women and children had fled. That the little girl was safe, albeit doll-less. Mulan cuddled the doll sadly. He was sure that she was thinking the same thoughts.

Shang appeared at their side a few seconds later. He was desperately trying to hide it, but beads of sweat were beginning to gather on his forehead. He was worried. "I don't understand," Shang whispered, "My Father should've been here."

"Captain!" Chi Fu's call caused all of them to jump. Chi Fu was standing on the of an outcrop overlooking a large field. Shang hurried to his side with the others following suit. They all let out a gasp in unison.

Spread out across the field were bodies. So many armored bodies. All of them lying stiffly on the ground. Shang's mouth hung open. Rob's face paled and he immediately ran back towards the village. "Rob!" he heard Will cry. Rob dropped to his hands and knees and tossed his breakfast of rice all over the snow. He felt Will's hands grip his trembling shoulders until he was done. Rob wiped his mouth with his sleeve, "Thanks." he whispered.

"It's alright Rob," Will said gently helping Rob to his feet. Rob stood wobbling for a few moments before Will released his shoulders. At that moment, Chien Po climbed up the hill with a helmet underneath his arm.

"The general," he said softly, presenting the helmet to Shang.

Shang looked stricken and Rob fell his heart clench. Shang wasn't the only one who had lost someone recently. He knew that sharp familiar ache. Suddenly, he was on the lifeboat bobbing up and down in the dark water watching The Pearl descend beneath the waves. The sound of crunching footsteps upon the snow snapped him out of his reverie. Shang strode a distance away from the others. Yao and Ling appeared and stared at the mass of bodies. Rob finally understood what Will had meant. War was cruel.

At the peak of the outcrop, Shang removed his sword from its scabbard and drove it into the icy snow. Mulan ventured closer towards Shang while the others maintained their distance. "I'm sorry," she said softly. Shang took a few steps closer. He gripped her shoulder gratefully before making his way back to his horse. He took a deep breath before quickly mounting the horse. "The Huns are moving quickly," he said in his usual brusque businesslike manner. "We'll make better time to the Imperial City through the Tung Show Pass." He gazed at the scared men, "We're the only hope for the emperor now. Move out!" he rode ahead with the ragtag army stumbling after him.

"Come on, Rob," Will said softly. Rob nodded and took a few shaky steps forwards. Mulan patted his shoulder and gave him a warm smile. They were about to leave when Mulan halted and turned around and rushed back to where Shang had placed the sword. She gave the doll one last hug before placing it at the base of the sword. A guardian for the lost souls that littered the fields.

-888-

"What on earth is she doing here again?" Maleficent's voice was filled with exasperation. Mim plodded to the center of Hades's lair. Maleficent rose to her feet, her dark robes swishing around her body. "I thought this meeting was due to something of importance," Maleficent roared.

"Melly," Mim nodded stiffly. The hero worship had left her voice and all that remained was bitterness.

"I thought we made it abundantly clear that you aren't wanted, Mimorka," Maleficent hissed.

"Oh hush, Melly," Mim snapped. Maleficent's eyes widened and she ran her fingers over the crystal of her staff menacingly. "I understand that you're hiring," Mim said.

"Actually," Jafar interrupted, "We have recently hired a new associate." He gestured to the chair that used to belong to Ursula. Dr. Facilier smiled at the witch like a shark. "Dr. Facilier, a new up and coming villain who will serve us well."

"Enchante," Dr. Facilier grinned at the witch.

"Hmmph," Mim said eyeing Dr. Facilier up and down, "Tall, dark, wears a hat, has a staff, yeah sounds like someone you and Melly would hire." Jafar's eyebrows narrowed. Dr. Facilier frowned.

"Do you have some reason to be here?" Maleficent demanded, growing more and more impatient.

"If my math is correct you've only upgraded to The Eleven instead of The Thirteen. Seems like you still have a few gaps," Mim stated. "I'm here to fill the remaining slots."

"Oh are you now?" Yzma snapped. "Your math must be off if you think one person can fill two positions."

"I don't come alone," Mim scowled at the old woman. She turned over her shoulder towards the darkness. "You can come out now."

Mim's companion stepped out of the darkness. Jafar suddenly bolted to his feet, "It can't be…"

"I know who you think I am," a distinctly male voice snarled, "And I can assure you that I am not your favorite bookkeeper nor am I your lost pet Aaron. Be grateful I'm not easily insulted." Jafar clamped his mouth shut and sat down.

The figure stepped into the light. The man was a slim figure dressed in a dark purple suit. The figure's skin was tinged with a light violet color and his eyes were the color of amethysts. His hair was dark plum a well and cropped at chin length. No one really paid attention to the mysterious figure's odd coloring. Everyone's eyes were drawn to was what the figure was wearing on his head. A top hat, not unlike the one that Kelsey had worn when she was still alive. This figure seemed to be a living parody of the dead girl. Dark where she was light. It was as though they had taken all of her qualities and warped them into a darkened version of her.

"Who are you?" Yzma asked in confusion.

"Call me Khaos," the figure grinned dipping into a low bow, "I would like to join your merry little band."

"I've never heard of you," Gaston pointed out.

"Of course not," Khaos said, "I've been sealed in Davy Jones' locker my entire life." He met the blank looks of The Thirteen members. "I should explain," he said. His voice was strange, soothing almost hypnotic. The most beautiful male voice they had ever heard. "My name is Khaos. Surely you've heard of the heathen gods? Calypso is pretty well known at the very least."

"Yes, yes, we're not fools," Jafar snapped.

Khaos held up his hands defensively, "Anyway, my mother is Eris, Goddess of Chaos. My father is some unknown mortal. I was born to serve my mother's will and unleash chaos upon the world. The other Gods didn't appreciate that so they sealed me away into Calypso's locker. Never to escape." The demi-god grinned, "Until someone came to take my place."

Khaos withdrew something from the inside of his coat and flung it across the ground. All of the villains gasped and stared at the object in shock. Lying on the ground before them was an old leather book. On it was a strange circle. A circle within a circle. Kelsey's symbol. Yen Sid's symbol. It was the Book of Songs.

"She's gone now," Khaos said softly. "And you seem to have a shortage of members."

The villains exchanged shocked looks at each other. Maleficent recovered her composure first. "Where did you find that?"

"The locker of course," Khaos stated, "It came with Jack Sparrow's soul."

"And Kelsey's soul?" Jafar asked.

"Gone to heaven I suppose," Khaos shrugged dismissively, "I don't much care. Either way books don't HAVE souls so it washed up on the locker just before I fled."

"It doesn't matter then!" Hook grumbled slamming his fist onto the table. "If we don't have someone who can use it than that's just another hardcover."

"Oh?" Khaos grinned and took a step forwards. He lifted the book into his lavender tinted hands and opened the page to the fire song. He held out his hand and began to hum a few bars of "Candle on the Water." Suddenly, a bright ball of light flared up in the palm of his hands. Kronk let out a gasp and nearly fell backwards. Scar retreated a few paces. The rest of them stared mesmerized.

"How did you do that?" Cruella cried.

Khaos smiled wickedly, "I too walk between two worlds. The mortal and the divine. The good guys had their hatter and now you guys have yours."

Hades glanced over at them, "I'm an expert on shady deals. What's the catch."

"With one catch," Mim interrupted, "We're a package deal. You want Khaos. You have to accept me as well."

"A major annoyance to be sure," Yzma frowned.

"But something that could be accepted," Dr. Facilier shrugged, tapping his fingers on the crystal of his staff.

"Why do you want to join us?" Scar asked.

"I want to unleash chaos," he said. "It seems we have similar goals."

"Give us a moment," Jafar said.

"Of course," Khaos said with a low bow. "Come along Mim."

The two of them stepped out of the room. Khaos leaned casually against the wall. "They'll never accept us," Mim cried.

"Of course they will," Khaos said nonchalantly. He leaned against the door casually. "My power is far too great for them to ignore."

"I hope you're right," Mim sighed. She slumped onto the floor. "I can't handle another rejection."

A few more moments passed before the doors were opened. Khaos strode confidently towards the center of the room. "Well?" he demanded.

Jafar grinned, "Welcome to the Thirteen."

"See!" Mim wailed, "I told you they wouldn't. . . did you say we were accepted?"

"Yes, little twerp," Maleficent sighed pettily, "But make it known that it's not YOU that we're interested in."

"I made it in?" Mim cried, "I made it in! Oh my Disney! I never thought this day would come!"

"Mim," Khaos muttered.

"So many people to thank!" Mim cried. She tugged a list out of her skirt pocket. "Well, Disney for starters and the esteemed evilness of the Thirteen, my mother, I know you're down there watching…"

"Mim!" Khaos snapped.

"Oh right," Mim shoved the list back into her pocket and chuckled sheepishly.

"It's about time we had a proper Thirteen again," Scar purred happily.

"Indeed," Maleficent agreed. "And now we can focus on our mission of summoning Chernabog."

"No," Khaos said suddenly.

"No?" Mim cried.

"No," Khaos said firmly, "The girl. She may be gone, but I am told that her friends are still very much alive. The Noble Pirate? The Scullery Maid? Her own brother?"

"Unfortunately, yes," Maleficent sighed, "They do have a rather stubborn string of luck."

"We must eliminate them first," Khaos said.

"But we have the power now," Maleficent cried, "Why should we hesitate?"

"Kelsey is gone," Jafar pointed out, "The boy was never as much of a threat as his sister."

"Let me put it this way," Khaos sighed. "Kelsey was a minor inconvenience at first wasn't she?"

"Minor?" Hades muttered.

"You left her unchecked," Khaos said, "Look what happened."

"He does have a point," Hades sighed, "If we would have just squashed Kelsey right off the bat we would have saved ourselves a lot of trouble."

"But Chernabog could…" Maleficent cried.

"No," Jafar interrupted. "Khaos is right. We can't leave anything to chance, especially when it comes to Chernabog's summoning. We might not get another chance." Maleficent huffed and slumped back in her chair. "Besides," Jafar added. "It would give us a chance for the new recruits to show us what they're capable of."

"I would welcome the opportunity," Dr. Facilier grinned.

"Then it is decided then," Jafar sighed, "Go."

"I'm coming too," Mim declared, Mim had a lot to prove, but she also didn't want to be left alone with the remainder of The Thirteen alone. She needed to remain by Khaos' side, just in case one of the others decided that she wasn't worth keeping around and that they were happier with a dozen instead of Thirteen.

"Very well then," Khaos said with a thin twisted smile, "This is going to be fun."


	28. Die With Honor

**The Great Disney Adventure III: Heroes and Villains**

**A Disney story by talking2myself**

**DISCLAIMER: **See Chapter 1.

**Chapter. 28 Die With Honor**

The snow crunched beneath the men's feet in a familiar rhythm. Rob stumbled along, stepping into Will's footsteps as he walked. Since the man's feet were slightly bigger than Rob's he had an easier time tramping through the snow with Will clearing the way. Plus his shoes didn't fill with snow with every step. Apart from the "crunch. Step. Crunch. Step." sound of their marching the men rode on in such quiet monotony that when Ling sneezed half the company jumped and drew their swords. Will glanced over his shoulder to shoot the man a glare. Ling giggled sheepishly, "Heh heh sorry about that."

Will shook his head. " It's freezing out here. At the rate we're going the men won't hold up long enough to fight the Huns."

"I thought we didn't care," Rob smirked.

"I'm a Disney character," Will grumbled, "What's your excuse?"

Rob chuckled, "I guess being a bleeding heart runs in the family."

Will nodded, "You're holding up pretty well."

Rob shrugged, "When you live in a state that has nine months of winter you get used to it."

"Nine months?" Will asked, "I hope I'm never forced to visit this 'Wisconsin' that you and your sister talk about."

"Okay so maybe I'm exaggerating a little bit, but not THAT much," Rob admitted. "But on the plus side we have really great cheese…."

BAAAAAM!

At that moment their conversation was interrupted by the loud sound of a cannon. The two men whirled around to see Mulan trying to calm her horse, Kahn. Kahn was pulling a wagon that had been loaded up with the cannons. They turned in time to see the cannon burst through the roof of the wagon before bursting into sparks in the sky like a fourth of July firework.

Rob's face paled, "This is bad isn't it."

Will was still gaping at the trail that the cannon had left in its wake. "Very bad." Will agreed.

At that moment, Shang rode forwards sending up a shower of snow to land on Will and Rob. "What just happened?" he demanded furiously.

"Uh…" Mulan stammered.

"You just gave away our position," Shang roared. "Now we're…"

ZING!

Shang's rant was cut off by an arrow that struck him hard in the shoulder, knocking him from his horse. Will gasped and stared up at the top of the cliff with wide eyes. Rob like a cry of fear as Will nearly bowled him into the cliff face. Arrows fell from the sky like rain. One of the grazed his shoulder, but it bounced harmlessly off his armor.

"Get out of range," Shang ordered.

"Don't have to tell me twice," Rob cried. He scrambled forwards, his feet slipping on the snow. He glance back over his shoulder to make sure Will was at his side. There they stood on the outcrops that loomed above them, like specters from the grave. The Huns.

Rob didn't have time to consider the Huns for long. He quickly noticed strange glowing lights burning in the distance, with long tails like comets.

"Great," Will scowled, "As if regular arrows weren't deadly enough."

Rob swallowed hard. The Huns had lit their arrows on fire. "Mulan," Rob whispered.

Will's face suddenly drained of all color. They both turned back to see what had happened to their friend. Mulan was desperately tugging at Kahn's reins. A flaming arrow had struck the wagon and the whole thing was being engulfed in flames.

"Save the cannons," Shang ordered, screaming over the fray.

Will and Rob halted in their tracks and scurried back to the wagon, ducking and dodging arrows as best as they could. An arrow struck the side of Rob's head and the sound echoed inside the metal helmet till his ears rang.

Men were already pulled cannons from the wagon and passing them away from the blaze. Will and Rob joined the assembly line, practically tossing the cannons from one person to another. Once they had managed to rescue as many as they could without blowing off a body part or two. The men retreated, springing to a small ledge half covered with snow.

"Go," Will cried, shoving Rob forwards.

"What about Mulan?" Rob screamed.

"Who?" Will said pointedly, glaring at Rob.

"I mean Ping," Rob corrected himself, grateful that no one was able to hear.

At that moment, he heard the swish of Mulan's sword as she sliced through the Kahn's harness. She quickly managed to mount Kahn and gallop away. A few seconds later, the flames met the gunpowder stored within the wagon and blew up in a massive explosion. All Rob saw was a flash of light before, he, Will and Mulan were knocked off their feet by the blast.

Rob spat out a mouthful of snow and scrambled to his feet. He gripped Will's arm and tugged him upright before they raced to the relative safety of the Chinese army with Mulan close behind them. Once they arrived, the men were already loading the cannons. When Chien Po bundled up a bunch of them in his arms, they revealed Chi Fu cowering behind them. Rob snorted and resisted the urge to give the man in the furry parka a good kick in the rear.

"FIRE!" Shang ordered. The cannons blasted. The soldiers covered their ears as the cannons sailed over the snow and crashed into the rock face until gradually the smoke faded away and all was quiet.

"Hold the last cannon," Shang ordered. The men stood there frozen, waiting for the Huns to reappear.

"Will," Rob whispered. "You've been in more battles than me. What does it mean when every goes eerily quiet?"

"Typically my battles have an ocean between me and the enemy," Will said quietly, "I much preferred it that way, but silence never indicated a good thing unless you could see your enemies' backs retreating."

Rob swallowed hard. Mulan cocked her head to one side in confusion. The plumes of smoke slowly faded away and Rob had to stifle a cry of fear. Standing atop the mountain was the leader of the Huns. Shan Yu. He threw back his head and lot out a blood curdling bellow. He charged his horse forwards and behind him rose a wave of men careening towards the tiny army.

A sudden terrifying though struck Rob. _There's no way we can win. I'll die here in the snow. _Rob slowly withdrew Switch from his scabbard, his hands shaking so badly that he could hardly grip the blade.

"Prepare to fight," Shang ordered. Rob envied the calm in his voice. "If we die, we die with honor."

"Because that's a decent consolation," Rob muttered, trying to prevent himself from crying. Suddenly, he felt Will's hand grip his.

"First chance you get," he whispered, "Run for cover, play dead until the battle is over. Stay out of sight." Rob wanted to argue. He wanted to boldly claim that he wasn't going to leave Will which he was sure Kelsey did on a regular basis. But fear had gripped his throat and all he could do was nod and whisper, "Okay."

"Yao," Shang said. "Aim the cannon at Shan Yu." Yao grit his teeth and did as his commander obeyed. Rob gripped Switch's hilt so tightly that his knuckles turned as white as the snow around them.

Standing next to Rob and Will Mulan was staring at the blade of her own sword very intently. "Ping?" Will whispered

Mulan grimly set her jaw and sheathed her sword. Suddenly, she sprang forwards, knocking the cannon out of Yao's hands.

"Mu…Ping!" Rob cried.

"Hey!" Yao cried, falling to one side.

"Ping come back!" Shang ordered. "Ping!"

"My God!" Rob groaned, "I've never met a more danger prone woman in my life!"

Will snorted, "Really? You can't think of ONE?"

Rob frowned. "Kelsey doesn't count."

The army watched in horror as Mulan ran a short distance away from the army before halting and plopping the cannon into the ground.

"Come on," Yao yelled. "We gotta help!"

Yao, Chien-Po, and Ling drew their swords and sprinted forwards into the fray. "Guys!" Rob screamed. The trio seemed so small compared to the mighty horde. Rob grit his teeth. "Screw it," he groaned before tearing after them.

"Rob!" Will screamed.

"If I die, I die with honor," Rob called over his shoulder.

Will watched the small group racing over the snow. He shook his head and followed them. "Yeah, you'll die with honor," he muttered. You'll die with my sword "Honor" shoved in your stomach because I'm tired of saving you."

The men kept their eyes on Mulan's figure. She was still crouched on the ground, but Shan Yu was getting closer and closer, swinging his curved sword.

"Mulan run!" Rob screamed completely forgetting her alias.

BANG! Mulan's cannon soared over Shan Yu's head and through the sky. Rob drew to a halt and stared in awe for a few moments. Will came to a halt besides him, his shoulders slumped in defeat. "She missed," Will whispered.

"No," Rob murmured, "She didn't." Rob pointed up at the tip of the mountain. A faint rumbling sound was growing in the distance and getting louder by the second. An avalanche of snow was descending down upon them.

Will groaned, "Not ANOTHER avalanche." "This has happened to you before?" Rob cried.

"You can ask your sister about it later," Will snapped. "Now run!"

"What about Mulan and the others?" Rob cried.

"YAHHHH!" Ling, Chien Po, and Yao ran by screaming.

"Move," Will ordered gripping his shoulders and forcing him forwards.

"Will," Rob growled, "Mulan!"

"Drowning in snow won't save her!" Will yelled. "Trust me, this is not going to be pleasant."

The ground was rumbling beneath her feet. Both Will and Rob struggled to stay upright. His armor clattering against his head. A massive boulder was up ahead and the army was crouching around it. Chien Po reached out two hands and pulled the two of them behind the boulder like they were mere rag dolls.

Good thing too. Seconds later a tidal wave of snow flew over their heads. Will and Rob ducked as the snow nearly covered them. Rob watched as the snow spilled over the edge of the mountain cliff like a frozen waterfall. Rob prayed that Mulan had somehow made it out alright.

Once the rumbling sound faded slightly, Rob scrambled onto the boulder and began to peer out at the white sea of snow that surrounded them. "Mulan!" he hollered cupping his hands around his mouth. "Ping! Mulan! Where are you?"

"Rob," Will cried. He gripped the boulder and climbed up besides him. "Do you see Mulan? Or Shang?"

"Shang?" Rob asked.

"He's not with the others," Will sighed.

"Great," Rob sighed before lifting his cupped hands "Mulan! Shang!"

Will joined in his calling as the rest of the army joined them atop the rock. Rob squinted at the blinding white snow desperately searching. Suddenly, he caught a glimpse of someone treading the snow.

"It's them!" Rob shrieked pointing at them.

"Where?" Will asked.

"Right… there!" Rob pointed out at the figures just in time to see them disappear beneath the snow. "Dammit!" Rob growled, "They were just there."

Rob heard Ling, Yao and Chien Po gasp when they heard Rob curse. "Oh for the love of Disney guys. This is a crisis," Rob groaned.

"Wait," Yao interrupted, "I have an idea. Ling give me a boost."

Ling's thin body nearly buckled underneath Yao's weight. Yao peered forwards. "A little bit higher!" he cried. Ling stretched out his arms.

"That's as high as I go," Ling cried.

Chien Po lifted Ling as though he were a toothpick and held him on his shoulders.

"Hold on," Rob cried.

"Do I really have a choice?" Ling muttered.

Rob snatched a bow and a quiver of arrows from the nearest shoulder. "Rope!" he cried, "I need rope."

"Here," one soldier cried handing Rob the coil of rope that had been used to tie up Mulan's horse. Rob roughly knotted the rope around the arrow and passed the bow and arrow up to Yao. "Use this once you find them again, but watch where you aim!"

Yao accepted the bow and arrow and for a few moments, he searched the snow. "Do you see them?" Chien Po asked.

Yao's face suddenly lit up. "YES!" he cried.

He knocked the arrow to the bow and fired the arrow. "Perfect," Yao cried happily "Now we'll pull them to safe…" the arrow slid past his grip before sailing through the sky. "…ty," Yao finished weakly.

"YOU IDIOT!" Rob yelled, packing snow together before and chucking snow at Yao. The tower of men toppled to the ground. Yao was sobbing.

"Rob," Will admonished.

Yao was hysterically sobbing. "I let them slip through my fingers." He held out his big hands. Suddenly, as if by magic an arrow appeared in his hands. Yao's eyes widened but he gripped the arrow in time. Yao was dragged across the snow with a cry.

"Yao," Rob cried. Rob and Ling sprang forwards and gripped Yao's legs.

"Rob!" Will leaped forwards to tackle Rob as they slid across the snow. The other soldiers all surrounded the men and tugged on the rope. _It's gonna break! It's gonna break! It's gonna break! _The words echoed through Rob's head darkly.

And then Rob was lifted off the air. He craned his neck to glance over at Will's stunned expression as the man struggled to understand why he was off the ground. Chien Po had lifted them. Perfectly calmly he backed up and pulled the soldiers and Mulan backwards.

"This is not natural!" Rob cried. He looked down at Mulan. "HE'S CARRYING A HORSE!"

The soldiers, and the horse, stumbled up onto the ledge. Rob sprang forwards to Mulan's side. "Mulan are you alright? Can you breathe? Are you hurt?"

"Stand back guys, give them some air," Ling ordered.

Will gripped Rob's ankle and pointedly dragged him away from the others. "Easy Rob, you'll suffocate them," he said gently.

Mulan was inching closer to Shang suddenly very shy. "Ping," Shang growled. "You are the craziest man I've ever met!"

"He's half-right," Rob muttered to Will.

"Shh," Will hissed.

"And for that I owe you my life," Shang said gently, "From now on, you have my trust."

Rob let out a huge sigh of relief and while Will didn't do it outloud his whole shoulders seemed to lose a lot of tension.

"Let's hear it for Ping!" Ling cried out, "The bravest of us all!"

"You're king of the mountain!" Yao echoed.

The soldiers around them cheered. And Rob couldn't help but join in. Chien Po even started dancing… that is until he knocked over another shoulder with his mighty girth.

Mulan blushed and looked down at all the attention. Shang offered her his hand and helped to her rise to her feet. As she stood, a grimace crossed her face and she doubled over in pain.

"Ping!" Rob cried. Will had to grab hold of Rob's shoulder in order to keep him from running into her.

"Ping, what's wrong?" Shang cried.

Mulan dropped to her knees, holding a hand to her side. When she withdrew her hand a dark stain was spreading beneath her armor and her palm was painted red. All of the relief Rob felt suddenly vanished.

"He's wounded!" Shang exclaimed. "Get help!"

Rob whirled around and saw that Will had come to the same conclusion. "Will," Rob whispered, "We can't… they'll…"

"Shh," Will hissed.

"Will, I think they're going to find out pretty quickly." Rob snapped.

"And if Shang finds out we knew from the beginning how do you think he'll react?" Will retorted.

Rob bit his lip. Suddenly, the avalanche wasn't looking all that bad. "We have to hide her somehow," Rob insisted.

"We can't," Will said miserably, "She'll bleed out otherwise."

"We could use the crystal!" Rob cried.

"We would have to get her alone," Will said and that is highly unlikely. Rob frowned and realized that Shang was lingering near Mulan, carrying her to the medics tent. Mulan was barely conscious and Shang wasn't about to leave his savior.

"So what do we do?" Rob cried helplessly.

Will frowned, "I don't know."


	29. Revealed

**The Great Disney Adventure III: Heroes and Villains**

**A Disney story by talking2myself**

**DISCLAIMER: **See Chapter 1.

**Chapter. 29 Revealed**

Rob had worn a trench through the snow as paced back and forth outside the medical tent. His nails had been chewed down to nubs and even Will couldn't find anything comforting to say to him. Yao, Chien Po and Ling all sat outside exchanging anxious glances. Will was standing besides them. His arms crossed. He was biting his bottom lip so much that Rob feared it would start bleeding. He shook his shaggy head and resumed his path.

"Rob, stop pacing please," Will begged. "You're making me dizzy."

"Sorry," Rob grumbled and stood besides Will, shifting from one foot to the other. "Do you think they know?"

"If not they will soon," Will said glumly. Rob groaned and resumed his shuffling, a little faster this time.

"What are we going to do?"

"I'm thinking," Will said. He shook his head in frustration, "I'm trying. I need more time."

The tent flap swished open. The small elderly man that served as the camp medic quickly waved Shang over to his side. They exchanged a brief whispered conversation before Shang emerged into the tent.

"That's the one thing we don't have, Will," Rob muttered.

Will and Rob stared at the entrance waiting for the moment to occur. Both of them held their breath in fear. Finally, Chi Fu made a grunt of frustration and burst into the tent.

"So it's true," he cried. Will dropped his head.

"Shit," Rob whispered and for once Will do not react to the non-Disney kosher word.

A few seconds later, Shang stalked out of the tent. Chi-Fu followed gripping Mulan's arm wrapped up in a blanket. "I knew there was something wrong with you!" Chi-Fu yelled. He yanked the band from Mulan's hair so it flopped around her face. "A woman." he declared. There was a gasp from the men around them, but Rob couldn't force himself to look surprised. "Treacherous snake," he snarled and flung Mulan across the snow.

Mulan forced herself up onto her arms. "My name is Mulan," she said boldly. She turned towards Shang pleadingly. "I did it to save my father."

"High treason," Chi Fu hollered.

"I didn't mean for it to go this far," Mulan placated.

"Ultimate dishonor," Chi Fu roared.

"It was the only way," Mulan insisted, begging with her eyes for Shang to understand. "Please believe."

"Hmmph," Chi Fu scowled. "Captain?"

Shang paused for a moment and Rob felt his heart stop beating. There was a swishing sound as Shang withdrew his sword from its scabbard. "You can't," Rob shrieked.

"Restrain him," Chi Fu ordered. For a moment, Rob thought Chi Fu meant himself, but it turns out that he was referring to Mulan's horse. In the next moment he felt Will grip him tightly.

"Will," Rob growled. "Let go."

"What can you do?" Will cried. "Except get yourself killed as well?"

Yao, Chien Po, and Ling also sprang forwards, but Chi Fu held up a hand. "You know the law," he said.

Shang approached Mulan with the sword. He loomed over her as she cowered in the snow, huddled in the blanket. She closed her eyes and prepared for the worst. Shang raised his arm. The dim light flashing on the shining blade. Rob let out a yelp and threw his hands over his eyes.

CLUNK!

Rob parted his fingers, the sound wasn't what he had expected. They stared at Shang's blade lying on the ground before Mulan. Mulan herself stared at the blade in shock. Shang glared down at her.

"A life for a life," he said coldly. "My debt is repaid."

Both Will and Rob heaved a sigh of relief. Will released him and Rob flopped into the snow. Neither of them seemed to realize it. "Move out!" Shang barked.

"What?" Rob asked.

Even Chi-Fu seemed a little shocked. "But you can't just…"

"I said _move out_," Shang barked.

Chi Fu froze for a moment before he followed them. Rob glanced back at Mulan, still kneeling in the snow. He struggled to get to his feet. "Captain Li," he called out.

"What are you doing?" Will whispered.

Shang turned. Rob swallowed hard. "I would like to respectfully withdraw from the Imperial Army."

The men around them gasped. "And why should I allow such a thing?" Shang snapped.

"We joined to prove our loyalty against the Huns," Rob stated. "Those same men that you wiped out on the mountain side. We risked our lives for people we don't even know. And besides even if we were loyal to the Huns there's none left for us to return to."

"Us?" Shang snapped.

Will stood besides Rob in front of Mulan. "Wherever Rob goes I follow."

"But guys," Ling burst. "We'll be treated like royalty. The city will treat us like heroes."

"For hiding behind a rock?" Rob snapped. Ling stared at the floor. "If the real savior of China is staying out in the snow then so am I." Rob crossed his arms resolutely. The men's heads swung towards Shang.

"Very well then," Shang said emotionlessly. "You are both released from service." He gestured at the men to move. Rob, Will and Mulan watched as the ragtag army faded into the snow.

Will sighed and removed his helmet, tugging the cloth from his hair so it fell long around his shoulders. He tied it again in a low tail. He looked more like the Will that Rob knew from the moment he first met him. He dropped to the ground, his armor clanking on the ground. Mulan was dressed in her soldier gear and wrapped in Kahn's blanket. Rob tugged the band from his hair free and shook his shaggy blonde hair. He plopped onto the ground. "This doesn't seem quite right."

Will smiled sadly, "Can't remember the last time things went our way."

Rob flopped backwards onto the snow. He stared up at the white sky watching little flakes drift to the ground in slow dizzying circles. Suddenly, he heard Will let out a cry.

"Holy Disney," he cried and suddenly Rob her a loud THUMP!

"Will?" Rob cried sitting up again.

"It was a snake," Will said. He had his scabbard in one hand and the crumpled body of a small scaly animal dangling from his fingers. "Don't worry. I got it stunned." He held a long red scaled animal in one hand. "I'll take care of it." he said.

"WILL NO!" Rob and Mulan cried in unison.

"It's not a snake," Rob cried. "Put him down."

"Well, I never." The "snake" cried. Will jumped and dropped him. The snake slowly painfully rose to his feet. "Honestly," he snapped to Mulan. "The things I put up with."

"It talks," Will cried.

"This surprises you?" Rob grumbled. "We've seen teacups talk. At least the snake has a mouth and thus capable of it."

"DRAGON," the snake, Mushu, interrupted.

"I know, I know," Rob groaned, "You don't do that tongue thing. I get it. Dragon." He turned to Will. "His name is Mushu. He protects Mulan. He's not a snake. Don't make a habit of trying to kill him."

"HE protects Mulan?" Will asked in disbelief. He watched as Mulan waddled towards Mulan, a kink in his tale still left behind from Will's beating. "Well that explains a lot," he grumbled.

Mushu had his own issues and didn't pay much more attention to Will's criticisms. "I was this close," he muttered holding up his claws. "This close! Impressing the ancestors, getting the top shelf, an entourage." He retrieved a broken arrow tip from the snow. He prodded it's tip and let out a sigh. "Man… All my fine work." He removed a bean curd from their meager bag of supplies. He stuck it onto the tip of the arrow and sat down besides Mulan. There was a small fire built up and he roasted his dinner over it. "Hi," he muttered as thought just noticing Mulan's presence.

"I should never have left home," Mulan sighed.

"I know the feeling," Rob grumbled.

"Hey C'mon," Mushu encouraged half-heartedly. "You wanted to save your father's life. Who knew you'd end up shaming him, disgracing your ancestors and losing all your friends. Y'know, you just gotta ... " Mushu began to tear up as a gust of wind extinguished his fire. "Just gotta learn to let these things go."

"Maybe I didn't go for my father." Mulan said softly. "Maybe what I really wanted was to prove that I could do things right. So that when I looked in the mirror…" Mulan lifted her helmet and stared at her reflection in its shimmering surface. "I'd see someone worthwhile." Mulan looked away from her reflection. "But I was wrong. I see nothing."

She chucked the helmet away from her. It plopped into the snow a short distance away from Mushu. Mushu scampered after the helmet. "Hey, that's just cause this needs a little spit, that's all." He spat on the metal and rubbed it with his wrist. "Let me shine this up for you. I can see you, look it you, you look so pretty!" He grinned at Mulan helplessly.

Rob rolled his eyes in frustration. "No offense, but you and this whole place puts way too much emphasis on honor."

"Rob," Will scolded.

"Sure your family is going to get a little bad press," Rob grumbled. "You're maybe gonna get a few dirty looks but you're father's still there. He's still alive."

"Rob," Will yelled.

"You can still hug him, talk to him. It's not like he's dead or worse wandering in some bizarre netherworld."

"Rob, that's enough," Will scowled. Rob drew his knees up to his chest and let his head flop onto them.

Mushu frowned and climbed into her lap. "The truth is, we're both frauds. Your ancestors didn't send me; they don't even like me. I mean, you risked your life to help people you love. I risked your life to help myself. At least you had good intentions."

At that moment, a small purple cricket leaped out onto the helmet. "Is that a…?" Will cried.

"Lucky cricket," Rob said. "Well sort of…"

At that, the cricket burst into unintelligible sobs. "WHAT?" Mushu cried snatching the cricket, "What do you mean, you're not lucky? You ... lied to me?" The cricket nodded, still sniveling.

Mushu let out a cry of frustration. He turned to Mulan's horse. "And what are you? A sheep?" he yelled in frustration. Kahn let out a snort. Mushu groaned and tossed the cricket over his shoulder.

Will reached out and caught the cricket in the palm of his hand. He gently smoothed out the bug's antennas. "I think you're looking at this all wrong."

Mulan and Rob both glanced up. "We all survived," Will shrugged. "An avalanche, an invasion, AND high treason." He glanced down at the cricket. "That's pretty lucky."

Will placed the cricket back on the ground. "Mulan," he said. "All those men, including me and Rob, would be dead if you didn't do what you did. That's honorable isn't it?"

Mulan shrugged. "And you," he turned towards Rob. "If your sister could see you moping like that she would slap you upside the head for giving up on her… and you."

"And Mushu…." Will paused, "Well… um… Mulan's not dead yet so you must be doing something right."

"Gee thanks," Mushu grumbled.

Mulan sighed and smiled weakly. "I'll have to face my father sooner or later. Let's go home." Rob smiled.

Mushu rose to his feet, "Yeah. This ain't gonna be pretty. But don't u worry, okay? Things will work out. We started this thing together and that's how we'll finish it. I promise."

"We're coming with you," Rob said softly.

"What?" Mulan cried. "Guys, you've done enough for me. You don't have to."

"Yes, we do," Will interjected dryly. "You have the horse and all the supplies."

"But even if we didn't," Rob said quickly, elbowing Will in the ribs. "We would want to come with. To offer our support."

"Thanks guys," Mulan grinned. "We better get going."

"Alright, but I'm not sitting next to him," Mushu grumbled pointing at Will.

Will rolled his eyes. "After you Snake." Will scooped up Crickee and they made their way through the snow.

"This might set us back a bit," Rob whispered.

"I know," Will sighed. "Hopefully, they're still there. Waiting for us."

"It's Elizabeth," Rob said. "She'd wait years for you."

Will frowned. "I wish I could believe that."


	30. LoveyDovey Drama

**The Great Disney Adventure III: Heroes and Villains**

**A Disney story by talking2myself**

**DISCLAIMER: **See Chapter 1.

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **RARRRG! So lately the messenger system seems very upset with me. If I've been a little slow by responding to reviews that's why. (See account page for full sob story) And as a side note. If you do leave a review as a guest there is no way for me to respond. Sorry. L

And on that note… to the people who mentioned the Spirit. Bonus points for paying attention to details. Hold onto that thought.

**Chapter 30. Lovey Dovey Drama**

Jackie tried very hard not to laugh as she watched Emma sitting at the rough wood table of the inn. A bowl of rice sat on her lap and Emma awkwardly held a pair of chopsticks in her hand. She kept lifting the chopsticks and lunging forwards to try snap up a few grains of rice before they tumbled down her pale pink embroidered shirt.

Many of the women of their strange crew had adopted the native garb in order to remain comfortable and inconspicuous. They were called Punjabi suits and were long blouses over loose fitting pants. Jackie wore a red Punjabi blouse and long skirt. A pointed straw hat hung down her back as well as Emma's. Both of the girls had spent the day braiding their hair to match the local girls. There wasn't much else for them to do. They spent everyday exploring the culture and waiting for some snippet of news about Rob and Will and their whereabouts.

Emma let out a groan and glared at the offending chopsticks. "How do people get food close enough to their mouth to eat anything around here?"

Jackie chuckled and took the chopsticks from Emma. She used a small piece of yarn to tie them around the chopsticks and make it easier for her. "Tr-tr-try now."

Emma once again dove into her bowl when the door opened. She had better success with Jackie's adjustments. She only lost half of the rice this time.

Elizabeth suddenly appeared in the main room, closing the door behind her. Her Punjabi suit was turquoise and damp with sweat. She had been on the streets again. She removed her pointed hat and fanned herself with it. She spent most of her times scouring the streets for news. She frowned as she looked at the table. "Where is Sophia?" she asked.

"D-d-doing laundry down by the river," Jackie said.

"Aaron?"

"She took him with her," Emma said. Elizabeth nodded. Sophia didn't like letting that boy out of her sight, especially if it meant he was alone with Jackie and Emma. Plus, Sophia got some sort of enjoyment out of punishing their prisoner by forcing him to do chores, her one form of revenge against the boy who had caused them so much trouble.

"Where's Alice?" Elizabeth asked as Emma accidentally dumped another mouthful of rice down her front. Emma growled as Jackie giggled and handed her a napkin.

Alice suddenly came flying down the steps. Like the others she was dressed in a bright blue embroidered shirt and skirt and light shoes. Her bright blonde hair was tied into a tight braid and she was quickly pulling her pointed hat onto her head.

"Hello everyone," she smiled. "Goodbye everyone." Emma and Jackie waved distractedly.

"Hold it," Elizabeth cried holding up a hand so she halted Alice in place. "Where are you going?"

"The Marketplace," Alice said.

"We shouldn't go anywhere alone," Elizabeth said.

"Jim is taking me."

For a moment, the entire room was silent. Emma had finally succeeded in getting a mouthful of rice to her mouth, but Jackie and Emma had both froze at the mention of Jim's name. A lump of rice tumbled from Emma's chopsticks back into the bowl. "What?" Alice asked confused at the sudden attention. "It's not that dangerous out there. I can handle myself."

"No," Elizabeth said. "But… Jim…"

"Oh," Alice said. She laughed merrily. "Don't worry. I can protect him too." Alice tried to duck around Elizabeth and out the door. Elizabeth moved in front of her.

"That's not what I meant," Elizabeth said. "I meant about you going somewhere with another boy." Alice stared at Elizabeth blankly. "Not Rob," she said pointedly. Understanding flashed across her blue eyes and then a sigh of annoyance.

Alice rolled her eyes, "Oh Elizabeth not you too."

Jackie suddenly busied herself cleaning up Emma's spilled rice. "Alice," Elizabeth said gently. "Sometimes the things we do when we think no one is looking come back to haunt us."

"What are you talking about?" Alice cried.

"I'm just sharing from experience."

"You think this is like you and Will?" Alice cried. She shook her head in disbelief. "No… no it's nothing like that."

"Alice, I know this seems innocent enough," Elizabeth said. "The things I've done in the past seemed innocent as well. But sometimes the smallest things can cause so much hurt…"

"Small?" Alice asked in disbelief. "How dare you try to make this into something bigger? Elizabeth you kissed Will's best friend that's not small. It was _Jack_. I'm going to the marketplace with a boy. A friend."

Elizabeth bit her lip at Alice's stinging words. "I'm just trying to make sure you don't make the same mistakes I did."

"I won't," Alice said defiantly. "Unlike you I've never done anything to betray Rob. He trusts me."

_Unlike you. _The words hung between the two women as though Alice had screamed them. Alice shoved Elizabeth out of the way and stormed down the street.

Elizabeth heaved a sigh before flopping into a vacant chair. Both Jackie and Emma remained silent and when the door opened and Sophia appeared with Aaron in tow both of them lugging heavy baskets of laundry all three of them jumped.

"Soph-ph-phia," Jackie cried with obvious relief.

"Hello?" Sophia shrugged. "Didn't know I'd be missed that much."

"You're late," Elizabeth snapped.

Sophia blinked a couple of times before narrowing her eyebrows. "I stand corrected. Well excuse me. If you know a faster way to wash laundry for an entire crew that includes muppets twice your size and with multiple limbs by yourself you'll have to show me."

"Sorry," Elizabeth muttered.

"By yourself?" Aaron grumbled. "What am I? Chopped liver?"

"Upstairs," Sophia ordered. "Start folding."

Aaron rolled his eyes but took his basket and trudged up the stairway muttering something under his breath about a "prison warden." Once they heard the click of the door closing, ensuring they were alone, Sophia placed her basket on the ground and examined the women.

"What did I miss?" she demanded.

"Lovey-dovey drama," Emma answered truthfully.

"I see," Sophia said thoughtfully. She turned to the little girl. "Emma, go shoot Beaker out of the self-loading cannon."

"Really?" Emma cried her whole face lighting up.

"S-s-Sophia," Jackie cried.

"Sophia, go make sure she doesn't hit anything important," Sophia ordered.

"Come on, Jackie," Emma cried gleefully tugging on her arm. "I'll show you how it works."

Once the two of them clattered out of the room, Sophia glanced at Elizabeth expecting an explanation. She carried the basket over to the table. She methodically began to fold the clothing inside it. Elizabeth sighed. She leaned forwards and rubbed her temples in frustration, "We had a fight."

"I gathered as much," Sophia said.

"Alice is going to the marketplace," Elizabeth said. Sophia nodded distractedly as she began folding the waistcoats and trousers of the crewmembers. "With Jim Hawkins." Elizabeth added.

Sophia froze in the midst of folding Ragetti's shirt. "Oh." she said.

"She's going to wind up hurting Rob," Elizabeth said.

"Of course she is," Sophia said nonchalantly. She placed a shirt on a pile. "It's inevitable."

"What?" Elizabeth cried.

"Well, it won't be _just _her," Sophia said. "They'll break each _other's _hearts." Elizabeth gaped at Sophia in disbelief. Sophia sighed and met Elizabeth's accusing eyes. "Don't give me that look. I don't want them to, but they will. I know it. Kelsey knew it. I'm sure deep down they know it."

"What do you mean?" Elizabeth demanded.

Sophia leaned forwards onto the pile of laundry, her chin rested on her hands. "Imagine if you will. Our future. Even if everything goes perfectly well. If we get Kelsey out of the locker and defeat The Thirteen. What will happen?"

Elizabeth thought for a moment. They were so surrounded by turmoil it was hard to imagine a world without danger and chaos. "I don't know," she shrugged.

"I do," Sophia said. A faint glimmer of sadness hung in her voice. "I've seen it before after all. Kelsey'll take Rob and Emma and go home." Elizabeth suddenly understood what she meant.

"They'll leave Alice alone."

"And who could blame them?" Sophia said. "Nothing against Alice, but they're both young, her and Rob. They have their whole lives before them. They have no idea how long this would last. It wouldn't be fair to ask Rob to abandon his entire life to move to a different world."

"You never know," Elizabeth said weakly.

Sophia clutched her hand gently. "In a perfect world they would stay together and find a happy medium for them both to stay. This is a Disney world, but it's not a perfect one. He has parents and a sister back in his old world. So does Kelsey. We're… we're going to have to find a way to live without them again. Including Alice." Sophia looked up over her spectacles towards Elizabeth. "Would it really be so bad if Alice had someone to turn to once he's gone?"

Elizabeth sighed, "You're very unromantic."

"I'm very practical," Sophia sighed. "Especially for a Disney character."

-888-

Rob had changed back into his captain's coat, boots and tri-cornered hat. Not only was it warmer but he felt more like himself in it. He wasn't trying to be a samurai warrior any more. He was just a captain of a shipful of fools and misfits.

They were walking back towards Mulan's home, following Mulan behind the horse. Rob suddenly froze in his tracks. His face went as pale as the snow.

"Oh sweet Jesus no!" he screamed.

Will immediately bounded over the snow, drawing his sword. "What is it?" he cried, anxiously searching the area for enemies.

"The Spirit!" Rob cried.

"What?" Will asked in annoyance.

"The Spirit we left it behind!" Rob yelled.

Will rolled his eyes and sheathed his sword. "You scared me half to death…"

"We need to go back for it," Rob cried.

"Will you pipe down before you start another avalanche?" Will growled.

"Kelsey will never forgive me. And Sophia…we need to get it back." Rob turned and raced back, sliding in the snow.

"Rob," Will called after him angrily. Will chased after him, debating whether he would strangle Rob once he caught up.

"Guys?" Mulan cried once she realized that they had changed directions. She shook her head and reared Kahn around to follow them.

_Gotta get The Spirit. Gotta get The Spirit. Gotta get The Spirit. _The mantra repeated over and over as Rob slipped through the snow. Out of the corner of his eye. Rob glimpsed an object flying through the air. He suddenly skidded to the halt and focused more intently on it.

It was a hawk.

A few seconds later, a primal growl echoed throughout the mountains. Mulan had just halted with her horse and peaked up at the sound. Rob stared out at the mountains until he felt Will tackle him to the ground, a hand roughly covering his mouth.

"Are you _trying _to get us all killed?" Will cried.

Rob yanked Will's hand free from his mouth. "That wasn't me, Will."

"Guys," Mulan whispered fiercely. "Look."

Rob shook Will away from him and rose to his feet. The three of them peered over a ledge down at the shelf below them. Crawling out of the snow like insects from the mud was Shan Yu and several remaining Huns. They were heading towards the city.

"Oh no," Rob whispered.

Mulan immediately sprang back to Kahn's side and sheathed her sword. She mounted the horse quickly and kicked the horse til he ran towards the city.

Mushu finally made his way towards them. He watched Mulan ride off towards the city. "Uh home is that way," Mushu pointed in the opposite direction.

"I have to do something," Mulan said.

"Not by yourself you're not," Rob piped. Will nodded. He gripped Kahn around the neck and flung himself aboard while Rob stared in disbelief. "You're sure you don't remember being Legolas in a past life?" Rob asked. Will yanked Rob up on Kahn's back, choosing to ignore the question.

"Did you see those Huns?" Mushu cried. "They popped out of the snow. LIKE DAISIES!" Mushu's arms flailed.

Mulan sighed, "Are we in this together or not?"

Mushu and Crickee exchanged glances before Mushu grinned. "Let's go kick some honey buns!" he cried. He raced towards the horse, climbing up Rob's extended arm while Crickee leaped into his palm. Rob clung to Mulan's waist as the horse took off and bolted towards the Imperial City.


	31. Pretty Boys

**The Great Disney Adventure III: Heroes and Villains**

**A Disney story by talking2myself**

**DISCLAIMER: **See Chapter 1.

**Chapter 31. Pretty Boys**

The cheers of the Chinese people echoed loudly as the glum little parade of shame-faced warriors wandered through the streets of the Imperial City. Ling, Yao, and Chien-Po had the longest faces of all and trudged through the streets as though they were still dragging Shang's weights around their wrists.

"Make way for the heroes of China," the leader of the parade announced and the crowds roared with applause and cheering. Acrobats and tumblers danced around them. Lanterns and kites flew over their heads and a large Chinese lion danced behind them.

Kahn whinnied as the disowned trio emerged into the square of the Imperial City. Mulan cracked their reins and the horse sped up. Rob pulled his tri-cornered hat down over his ears as Mulan rode through the crowds. The cheering was so loud he could scarcely hear his own thoughts even though the voices in his head were screaming. Mulan urged Kahn to sprint forwards until the three of them rode alongside Shang at the head of Mulan.

"Shang!" Mulan called.

"Mulan?" Shang said staring at her as though she had risen from the dead.

"The huns are alive. They're in the city," Mulan cried.

Shang's face suddenly dropped into a frown. "You don't belong here, Mulan. Go home."

Rob scowled. "How about I give the emperor MY account of what happened and…"

"Shang I saw them in the mountains," Mulan insisted. "You have to believe me."

"Why should I?" Shang snapped coldly.

Mulan spurred Kahn forwards so they stopped in front of Shang. The parade froze and for a few moments they could only hear the faint sounds of the Chinese dragon marching behind the Chinese army.

"Why else would I come back?" she demanded. "You said you trust Ping. Why is Mulan any different?"

_Because Mulan is a girl… _Kelsey's voice echoed unbidden in Rob's ear. He frowned. _Never an outspoken feminist around when you need one._

Shang glared at Mulan for a few moments before he urged his horse forwards, completely ignoring her.

"This is a load of crap, Shang," Rob called after him, drawing a few stares and gasps from the members of the crowd. Rob rolled his eyes, "Oh get over it." he scowled.

Yao, Ling, and Chien Po passed by Mulan as the parade went by. "Keep your eyes open," Mulan advised them. "I know they're here. YAH!" Mulan ordered Kahn forwards so suddenly Will almost toppled off. She took off to the edges of the crowd before she leapt down from Kahn's back. "Where are you going?" Mulan asked.

"To find someone who _will_ believe me," Mulan called over her shoulder. Will and Rob watched as Mulan vanished into the crowds.

"This is going to be more difficult than I thought," Will murmured.

"Come on," Rob cried, jumping down from the horse and the two men chased after Mulan.

-888-

Since they had taken over the inn, Barbosa had largely kept himself hidden in his room. A fact that both Sophia and Elizabeth were grateful for. Especially Sophia, who didn't like his smug attitude or the monkey Jack that was usually perched upon his shoulder. She also had an issue with Barbosa constantly eating all of the apples in their larder. Neither Sophia nor Elizabeth were particularly happy when he appeared on the stairs one morning.

Jack the monkey chattered at them before scampering down the steps and clambering up onto the table. "Off," Sophia roared, swatting at the creature with a wooden spoon. "You know the rules, no undead things at my nice clean table." Elizabeth wasn't sure whether she was speaking strictly to the monkey or to Barbosa.

Jack screeched and skittered back up onto Barbosa's shoulder. "A fine morning to you lovely ladies."

Sophia wiped her spoon off on her apron. "Hmmph. Is there a reason why you've chosen to grace us with your presence this morning?" Sophia asked.

"Very businesslike as per usual," Barbosa nodded in Sophia's direction before he settled down into a chair across from Elizabeth.

"Keep that thing off my table," Sophia snapped pointing a finger at Jack. Jack bared his teeth and growled at Sophia from Barbosa's shoulder.

"What is it you need, Barbosa?" Elizabeth asked.

"I'm afraid we can't wait much longer for our beloved captain and your… well... beloved," Barbosa said.

"We need the charts they're trying to find," Elizabeth said. "There's nothing we can do until they return."

"We will get the charts," Barbosa agreed. "But we must contact Sao Feng as soon as possible."

Elizabeth stared at Barbosa, brow furrowed. "Why the sudden urgency?"

Barbosa sighed. "I've heard word from the colonies. Lord Beckett is killing anyone who so much as speaks to a suspected pirate. We can't allow this to continue."

Elizabeth frowned and stared at her fingers. "Of course."

Barbosa rose to his feet. "I shall make the necessary arrangements, but you should be prepared to act within the next couple of days."

Elizabeth nodded silently. "Miss Swann," he said with a nod. He smiled at Sophia. "Miss Godmother." The monkey chattered cheekily at Sophia as he ascended the steps again.

"I hate that thing," Sophia scowled with a shiver. Once again, Elizabeth wasn't certain if Sophia meant Barbosa or Jack. Sophia turned towards Elizabeth. "Just because he says we have to do something doesn't mean…"

"Yes, it does," Elizabeth interrupted. "While we dawdle innocent people are being killed."

"That's hardly our fault, Elizabeth," Sophia sighed.

"We may not be responsible, but we can prevent it," Elizabeth said. "We can't wait around for Rob and Will any longer. We're going to have to find them."

Sophia frowned. "I'll make sure that the others are ready for action." She walked up the steps to her bedroom. Once she was gone, Elizabeth let out a cry of frustration and buried her face into her hands.

_Will, where can you be?_

-888-

"Excuse me," Rob apologized after nearly knocking into a man, struggling to follow after Mulan. He shoved a few people aside. The crowds were getting thicker now that the Emperor had appeared on the steps of the palace. The army and the Chinese dragon from the parade had on the steps. The Emperor descended towards them, regal and tall. The emperor rose his arms and spoke in a clear loud voice.

"My children," he announced to the crowd. "Heaven smiles down upon the middle kingdom. China will sleep safely tonight thanks to these brave warriors."

The crowds cheered again. Rob snorted in derision at the warriors who were sheepishly staring at the stone steps. "Posers," he grumbled.

"Sir, the emperor's in danger," Mulan told a man. The man grunted and shook her off. Mulan quickly hurried to approach another. "Please you have to help," she begged. The man waved her off. Mulan's shoulders slumped. "No one will listen," she moaned.

"Huh? Oh I'm sorry did you say something?" Mushu quipped.

"Mushu," Mulan scowled.

"Hey you're a girl again, remember?" Mushu pointed out.

On the steps of the palace, Shang took a step forwards "Your majesty," he said. "I present to you the sword of Shan Yu." He bowed, offering the sword. The distinctive curved sword twinkled in the light.

"I know how much this means to you, Captain Li," The Emperor said gently. "Your father would be very proud." The emperor reached out to accept the sword when Rob heard a horrible, and all too familiar screech.

"Mulan look," Rob cried pointing at the palace. Shan Yu's hawk swooped down swiping the sword from Shangs hand. It swooped up to the palace roof, hovering over the gargoyle statues when one of them caught the sword lightly in his hand before standing upright on the roof. "Found him," Rob whispered.

Suddenly, the Chinese dragon behind the soldiers was ripped to shreds. The remaining huns burst through. Two of them snatched the emperor before they plowed forwards towards the great doors of the palace.

"No," Shang yelped.

"Come on," Yao cried. The army members raced up the steps, but the huns slammed the door shut on them. From the top of the rooftops the entire imperial army could hear the wicked laugh of Shan Yu.

-888-

Rob and Will panted as they struggled to keep up with Mulan. She raced up the steps like a madwoman. The ground shook beneath their feet as they heard a dull crash over and over again.

The Chinese army had turned a large lion statue onto its side and they were ramming it against the doors like a battering ram. However, those same doors had been built tall and strong to hold off invaders and protect the royal family and unfortunately it was doing just that.

"Put your back into it," Will yelled. "Otherwise you'll never get in."

"Any ideas on this one blacksmith?" Rob asked.

"There's no half-barrel hinges if that's what you're suggesting," Will said glumly. Rob snapped his fingers.

"They'll never reach the emperor in time…" Mulan said thoughtfully. Suddenly, her whole face brightened up. She sprang forwards, pressing two fingers to her lips letting out a sharp whistle.

"Hey guys!" she cried. "I have an idea."

Yao, Ling and Chien Po immediately exchanged glances and dropped the statue rushing to Mulan's side.

"Thank God someone has an idea," Will commented as they followed Mulan.

"Er yeah," Rob commented.

Will's shoulders slumped, "What?" he asked.

"Her plan," Rob said with a sheepish smile, "You're not gonna like it."

"Swell." Will groaned.

-888-

On the opposite side of the palace a series of wooden pillars rose up to the palace balcony. Mulan stood besides them and a large pile of armor and swords. "Are you coming guys?"

"This is ungodly humiliating!" Will cried.

"Suck it up," Rob grumbled. "I'm not going out there alone. At least not like this."

"This will never work," Will groaned.

"Why not?"

"I HAVE FACIAL HAIR!"

"So does Yao. You're way less hairy by comparison. In fact, with your high cheek bones and long flowing locks you're kinda the 'hot chick.'" SMACK! "OWWW! Will, that was a compliment."

"We don't have time for this guys," Mulan ordered, struggling to stifle a laugh. "Get out here now."

"Fine," Rob muttered. Rob and Will shuffled into view and Mulan's lips immediately quirked upwards into a smile. Both of them had their faces powdered white. Their eyes were lined with kohl and colored with eye shadow. Their lips were painted red and both were scowling. Rob's shaggy blonde hair was stuffed beneath a black wig that was piled into two buns that rather reminded Rob of Princess Leia's legendary hairdo. He wore an orange kimono with a sash and matching fan. Twinkling orange gems dangled from his ears. Will's hair was longer and had been piled on top of his head. His hair was kept back with two ornate chopsticks. He wore an emerald green kimono and green jewels. His fan had been shoved into his sash. He scowled furiously. Yao emerged from behind them in a red kimono, Ling in yellow, and Chien Po in blue. When they all lined up they resembled a rainbow. The thought made Rob chuckle slightly.

Rob turned towards Will and chuckled. "You know that color really brings out your eyes," he smirked.

Will lunged forwards and gripped Rob by his collar. "If you ever…ever…EVER tell Elizabeth about this…"

"I won't," Rob gasped.

"Or Jack…"

"No, of course not…"

"Or Kelsey…"

"Wait? I can't tell her? You're no fun." Will's grip tightened. "Alright, alright!" Rob gasped, "Not a soul."

"Good," Will scowled dropping Rob roughly on the ground.

The men lined up along the pillars. They removed their sashes from their waists and wrapped it around the pillars. They twisted the silk around their wrists and pulled them taut. Just as they were about to ascend the pillars when Mulan felt a tap on her shoulder.

She whirled around as Shang smiled at her. He removed his cape, wrapping it around the pillar. The others grinned and they slowly ascended up the wall.

"Where's _his _dress?" Will demanded.

"He has a cape," Rob said. "Besides it wouldn't have gone with his shoes."

"I'm glad you're enjoying this so much," Will grumbled. "Kelsey and I are gonna have a long talk about this."

"Oh shut up," Rob muttered.

"Why couldn't I use a cape exactly?" Will muttered.

"The dress flatters your figure?" Rob smirked.

Will lunged forwards trying to kick Rob only to have his foot wrap up in his skirts. "Oh for the love of Disney it all makes sense."

"What?"

Will scowled, "I know fully understand why your sister always hated wearing gowns."

"We'll tell her all that once we get through this adventure," Rob said. Will nodded and they continued to climb.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: I REALLY enjoyed writing this chapter. The thought "I can't believe I'm writing this" was running through my head the entire time.**


	32. BOOM! Goes the Fireworks

**The Great Disney Adventure III: Heroes and Villains**

**A Disney story by talking2myself**

**DISCLAIMER: **See Chapter 1.

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**: Okay sit back this could be a long one. Item 1: My Prolonged absence. For once I have a valid excuse. As some of you know, I've recently had surgery on my eyes. Because of this it's extremely difficult for me to stare at a computer for long periods of time without experiencing vertigo. Therefore it's been taking me much longer to finish chapters. I apologize, but there's really very little I can do.

Item 2: I am not the Disney Godfather! I've noticed lately that many other readers have come to me asking permission to write Disney-universe themed stories. While I find it flattering that I'm getting credit for pioneering the Multi-Disney Crossover genre, I really didn't and you don't need my permission to write them . It was around before I started writing and it will be around after. The only concepts that I really possessive about are my OCs (Kelsey, Rob, Emma etc.) and that is because I actually created them. So if you have an idea, write on!

**Chapter 32. BOOM! Goes the Fireworks**

"Okay are there any questions?" Rob heard Mulan's voice whisper into the darkness of the corridor.

"Does this dress make me look fat?" Yao asked.

SMACK!

Owww!

In the darkness, Rob couldn't tell if it was Mulan or Will who had slapped Yao. The "men" followed Mulan. Rob attempted o move in a way that seemed feminine to him… though he looked as though he was trying to hula hoop without the hoop. The other men giggled coyly as they strolled past the hun guards.

"Who's there?!" one guard cried, raising his sword.

His partner lifted his hand and rested it on the other's wrist. "Concubines."

The first guard sneered. "_Ugly _concubines."

The men giggled and the first guard smiled sheepishly and waved. Will rolled his eyes. "I think that one is checking you out," Rob whispered snidely.

"I am going to keelhaul you once I get out of my dress," Will whispered back wickedly.

Plop. Rob's head bolted up at the sound of an apple, minus one bite, hitting the ground. He watched anxiously as the fruit rolled across the carpet to settle at the guards' feet. Rob's eyes went wide and Will shot Ling an accusing glare.

To his credit, Ling quickly recovered with an awkward grin, fanning himself and struggling to look sweet. Rob could feel his heart hammering against his ribcage as the guard knelt to pick up the apple. He grinned as he offered Ling the apple.

This was there chance. The Chinese soldiers quickly brandished hidden fruit from the hidden confides of their robes. The Guard's face suddenly fell, especially when Will shoved his fan into his belt and punches the first guard that lunged at him.

Chien Po smashed the two watermelons that he had smuggled into the palace over the guards' heads before clacking them together roughly. Ling had shoved his uneaten apple into another guard's mouth before using his karate skills to kick the man hard in the stomach. The man let out a winded cry of pain (somewhat muffled by the apple). Before he could recover, Ling swung his forehead down, head-butting the man flat.

Yao dodged a few punched before grabbing another guard's arm. He flung the guard over his head and slammed him to the floor tiles with a mighty THUMP!

Rob found himself wishing that he had paid closer attention to the intricate martial art movies that Shang had taught them, but when one of the weasel-faced guards brandished his sword, Rob found himself resorting to the one tried and true method that he had used to fend off bullies through grade school. A well placed kick.

In a move that involved more luck than skill, Rob had beamed the fellow in the stomach. Winded he let out a high pitched squeal of pain before dropping to the ground. "Huh." Rob said. "That turned out nicely."

"Rob watch out!" he heard Will cry.

Rob whirled around to see the large bald dizzily charging at him. Suddenly, Will had leaped over the limp body of one guard, one hand reaching into his dark hair. He yanked the chopsticks free of his locks causing his long hair to spill down his shoulders. With a quick flick of his fingers he jabbed the chopsticks forwards beaming the guard in the eyes. The Guard shrieked in pain, hands going to his eyes. Rob took advantage of the moment and rammed into the man with his shoulder. He toppled to the ground roughly.

Rob turned to Will and smiled, "Nice move."

"Your sister actually taught me that one," Will admitted as he bound his wild mane into his usual low ponytail.

Rob stared at Will in disbelief, "You're gonna have to tell me that one when this is all over."

At that moment, Mulan had tripped Shan Yu's archer to the ground. She had him pinned, his head caught in his own bow. "Shang go!" she yelled. Shang tore out of hiding and raced towards the room where Shan Yu had the emperor.

-888-

"I tire of your arrogance, old man," Shan Yu growled. He whirled around swinging his sword to rest at the old man's throat. The Emperor didn't make any movement nor show any sign that he noticed the blade. "Bow to me!"

"No matter how hard the wind howls. The mountain can not bow to it," The Emperor stated calmly. Shan Yu 's beady yellow eyes narrowed.

"Then, you shall kneel in pieces!" he snarled. He rose his blade and swung it down.

Suddenly, Shang sprang forwards, blocking the Emperor with his blade. The sound of metal on metal clashed loudly on the balcony where they stood. Shang managed to recover his stance and swiped wildly at Shan Yu. Shan Yu roared and flung Shang towards the edge of the balcony.

As he flew, Shang clutched a column and swung back the way he came, using the momentum to kick Shan Yu roughly to the ground. The two men rolled across the floor before Shang had him pinned, his arm pulled roughly behind his back.

At that moment, Mulan and the others burst onto the balcony. "Chien Po get the Emperor!" Mulan ordered.

Chien Po looked at the Emperor awkwardly and bowed. "Sorry Your Majesty." he murmured before sweeping the old man in his arms. A long rope dotted with Chinese lanterns was tied from the balcony to where it was mounted at the ground. Chien Po gripped his sash and used it as a pulley. With the Emperor in one arm, Chien Po went zipping down the rope, lanterns falling to the ground right and left as he swung down.

Shan Yu watched as Chien Po swung down. "NO!" He roared.

"Time to go," Will whispered to Rob, giving him a rough nudge towards the edge. Rob gripped his sash tightly in both hands as he whizzed through the air. He kept his eyes shut tight until he came to an abrupt halt. He had crashed against what felt like a soft wall. He let out a muffled grunt of pain as he felt someone peel him off, his wig toppling to the ground.

"Oh. I'm sorry. Are you alright Rob?"

Rob quickly realized that he had crashed into Chien Po. "Just peachy." he mumbled.

Will was sliding down the pulley system, releasing his grip early and skidding to an elegant landing a few feet from Rob. Yao and Ling came whooshing behind him, landing in a pile near them.

"Where's Mulan?" Will asked. A few seconds later. The rope that had borne them fluttered to the ground. Will picked up the rope and examined the frayed end. He went even paler than his Geisha make up made him appear. "She cut it."

"Why the heck did she do that?!" Rob yelled in frustration.

His thoughts were interested by the savage roar that Shan Yu released from the balcony. The crowds around them were cheering wildly. It was then that Rob noticed that the Emperor was no longer at their side. He had instead been spirited off into the crowds. It was over. Shan Yu couldn't take China. They had won.

But Mulan and Shang were still up there. "What do we do?"

Rob was gnawing on his fingernails gazing at the balcony up above. "I got it!" he cried. "Will! Help me get the Spirit!"

"The Spirit?" Will cried. Rob had already run into the crowds. Will groaned and chased after him. "Rob, we don't even know if it can fly!"

"Now's a good time to find out don't you think?" Rob yelled over his shoulder.

-888-

The wagons carrying the army supplies had been largely abandoned do to the parade. Rob swung open the doors and crawled inside. The Spirit sat in the corner, looking more dejected and dinged up than ever.

"Rob," Will panted. "What is your plan exactly?"

"Cross your fingers and brace yourself for possible impact," Rob muttered distractedly. Rob turned the crystal key several times. It sputtered much like a car. The glowing lights flickering on and off.

"If this thing crashes you'll never survive," Will cried.

"Even if I survived Kelsey would kill me if this thing crashes," Rob said, desperately turning the crystal key. "So I better not crash." Suddenly, the lamplike eyes flared to life. "Yes!" Rob cried triumphantly. "Sorry Will," he yelled. "But if this thing crashes I'm not taking you down with me."

"ROB!" Will screamed.

Rob ignored him slamming his hand onto the inscription pad. The Spirit flared to life before crashing through the rear wall of the wagon. Rob stared down at Will's figure as it grew smaller and smaller.

The Spirit bobbed up and down wildly. Rob kept his hand pressed tight to the inscription pad. His stomach lurched every time they swooped down. "Come on, come on, come on," he whispered. "Don't do that!"

A bright explosion of color erupted to his right causing Rob to jump in his seat. Fireworks. They were launching all over the place. Rob immediately swung right struggling to avoid a shower of ash. He kept his eyes peeled for his friends. At first he didn't see anything.

He desperately circled the palace again, but the thousands of people below him melded together like a collage of color. No sign of the Emperor in the streets or Mulan in the palace. The fireworks continued to blast overhead, their loud popping practically deafening him.

Suddenly, the Spirit dipped downwards, it's blue lights failing. "Nononononononono!" Rob practically screamed. He banged on the inscription with both hands desperately throwing all his weight onto the pad. The lights flared to life and Rob surged upwards again. Nearly clipping the top of the palace roof. Rob immediately pulled up, narrowly missing it. The clatter of tiles echoed behind him, forcing Rob to realize just how close he had come to smashing against the roof.

Rob let out a sigh of relief when he caught sight of a small figure on the roof. "Mulan?" Rob cried.

A second huge figure burst from the roof. Stalking Mulan like a mountain lion stalking its pray. Shan Yu. "Mulan!" Rob screamed. He watched as Mulan backed away from him anxiously, reaching for a weapon, but only finding a paper fan.

Rob slapped at the inscription pad, willing the vehicle forwards at full speed. Shan Yu stabbed forwards towards Mulan with his curved sword. The sword pierced the paper fan and Mulan flipped it so the sword jerked from Shan Yu's hands and flew through the air. Mulan caught the sword lightly, holding its tip to Shan Yu's throat.

"Ready Mushu?" Mulan called.

Rob's eyes darted to the other side of the roof. "I AM READY BABY!" Mushu cried, tearing away a Chinese kite and revealing the largest firework that Rob had ever seen.

"Are all you Disney freaks CRAZY?!" Rob cried. "That'll blow us all to smithereens!" Too late. Crickee had lit the fuse. The firework rocketed forwards. Mulan pinned Shan Yu in place with his own sword. The rocket struck him and sent him barrowing into the massive stock of fireworks.

Rob flung up his arm just in time to shield his eyes from the white blast of light that blew out from the explosion. The Spirit swerved downwards, threatening to plummet again. He watched as Mulan desperately ran towards the edge of the roof and had no choice but to jump towards the earth.

The Spirit surged forwards in one final massive jolt. Rob had his eyes squeezed shut for much of it. Until he felt a warm body crash onto his. Rob opened his eyes to see Mulan staring up at him in shock. "Rob?"

"Phew," Rob sighed. "We're still alive."

The Spirit teetered under Mulan's weight and they seemed to spiral downwards. "Shit, shit shit," Rob swore.

"What do we do?" Mulan cried.

Rob searched the ground for a place to land, while his fingers scrambled across the inscription pad. It was no use, it wasn't responding. He had no choice but to plan a crash landing, but he couldn't do it with Mulan's added weight. Finally, Rob spied a string of Chinese lanterns.

"Mulan," he yelled over the crackling of fireworks. "See those lanterns?"

"Yes?"

"That's your stop," Rob said.

"What?!" Mulan cried.

"I'm really sorry you'll thank me someday good luck godspeed," Rob spat out before he shoved Mulan roughly over the side of the Spirit. "She's going to kill me for that," Rob frowned as he watched her clutch the lantern and slide safely to the ground. In fact, she released the lantern and plopped onto Shang as he was retreating from the palace.

Rob pulled the nose of the Spirit up as far as he could. The crowds screamed and dispersed as he came plummeting to the ground. The body of the Spirit screeched as it skidded across the pavement. Rob flung his hands over his head and braced for impact as the vehicle slowly came to a halt, toppling over.

For a few moments, Rob didn't move. He knew that he had struck the ground roughly and had been jarred nearly out of his seat, but The Spirit had stopped and he was somehow still alive, stuck underneath the Spirit.

"Rob?!" Suddenly, the side of the Spirit lifted and Rob peered out. Will was pulling at the side of the vehicle struggling to get the heavy stone vehicle rightside up. Chien Po appeared at his side and with one hand flipped the car over lightly. Will stared at Chien Po for a few moments, stunned. "Thanks," he said distractedly before turning his attention to Rob. "Are you okay?" he asked offering Rob a hand.

"Never better," Rob said as he struggled onto his wobbly legs. "Never been so dizzy before."

Will was distractedly checking Rob over and running his hands over his ribcage to ensure that nothing was broken. Finally, Will let out a sigh of relief before clutching Rob in a tight hug. "Thank goodness."

"THAT WAS A DELIBERATE ATTEMPT ON MY LIFE!" Chi Fu emerged from the palace his face blacked and his clothes in tatters.

"THAT'S what he's taking from this?" Will cried, "_His _life? Who would destroy a perfectly good palace just to get rid of him"

"Sounds like an even trade to me," Rob growled.

"Where is she?" Chi Fu demanded. The other soldiers crowded around Mulan protectively. Chi Fu snarled. "What a mess. Stand aside that creature's not worth protecting."

Shang stood in front of the group. "She's a hero."

"Tis a woman," Chi Fu countered. "She will never be worth anything."

"Never an angry feminist around when you need one," Rob muttered thinking again of his sister.

Shang's eyes narrowed and he gripped Chi Fu by the collar. "Listen you pompous…"

"That is enough." The Emperor suddenly appeared on the stairs and Rob had to stifle a groan of complaint. Shang looked at the emperor helplessly and hurried to his side.

"Your majesty I can explain," Shang stammered desperately. The Emperor held up a hand to silence him while Chi Fu scurried behind him with his scroll and pen ready. Shang was forced to step aside.

Rob's tried to gnaw at his fingernails again, but found that his nails were already bitten down. Mulan stepped forwards and bowed before the Emperor awaiting his judgment. Will and Rob stood there anxiously. Will ran a wrist across his face wiping his make up free with the long sleeves of his dress.

"I have heard a great deal about you, Fa Mulan," The Emperor said slowly. Chi Fu grinned smugly and Rob found himself wanting to swipe the chopsticks from Will's sash and poke his eyes out. "You stole your father's armor," he said. "Ran away from home, impersonated a soldier." Rob frowned and Will bit his lower lip anxiously. "Deceived your commanding officer," The Emperor continued. "Dishonored the Chinese Army, destroyed my palace…" he gestured at the smoking building behind him. "AND…" Mulan winced awaiting further abuse. But instead he said in a soft voice. "You have saved us all."

Then, The Emperor of all Disney China, bowed before Mulan. Chi Fu stared at The Emperor in shock for a few moments before dropping to the ground in a full body bow. Rob vowed to keep that memory alive for the remainder of his life.

Following the emperor's gesture, the other members of the Chinese Army knelt before Mulan. Rob grinned like a damn fool while Will's lips turned up in a corner and they dropped to the ground as well. It wasn't long before all the others in the Imperial City dropped to their knees and bowed before their new savior, Fa Mulan.


	33. The Temple of the Farthest Gate

**The Great Disney Adventure III: Heroes and Villains**

**A Disney story by talking2myself**

**DISCLAIMER: **See Chapter 1.

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**: I just wanted to take the time to thank my readers for bearing with me. You've all been very understanding about my stupid eyes and I'm really eager to start writing again. Big thanks go out to the guest readers who don't normally review who left me some kind words and the regulars who continue to review.

**Chapter. 33 The Temple of the Farthest Gate**

Rob stood besides the other "geishas" in the plaza, rubbing his face with the dress he had been wearing. He had quickly changed back into his captain's coat and was still struggling to get the white make up off his face. He was keeping track of two different goings on. One was the Chinese engineers examining The Spirit and attempting to get the battered vehicle up and running. Since Atlantean culture had borrowed so much technology from other ancient cultures, it wasn't difficult for the clever engineers to begin repairs.

The more interesting conversation was, however, was off to the other side. The Emperor had just called Chi Fu to his side.

"Your Excellency," Chi Fu chirped, dashing to the Emperor's side.

"See to it that this woman is made a member of my council." The Emperor said. Rob couldn't help but grin at the look on Chi Fu's face.

"A member of your coun… what?" Chi Fu stammered. Rob smirked at him and Chi Fu immediately gathered his composure. "But there are no council positions open, your majesty." Chi Fu said shooting Rob a triumphant grin.

"Very well," The Emperor said. "You can have his job."

Chi Fu's face went pale as milk. "My… my… " Chi Fu wobbled before collapsing to the ground. Rob couldn't stop grinning, even when Will gave him a reproachful look.

Mulan smiled and then bowed before the Emperor. "With all due respect your Excellency, I think I have been away from home long enough."

The Emperor nodded. "Then, take this." He removed a large pendant from around his neck and draped it over Mulan's neck. "So your family will know what you have done for me, and this…" He offered Mulan Shan Yu's crooked sword. "So the world will know what you've done for China."

Mulan beamed and threw her arms around The Emperor. The Emperor looked stunned for a few moments before he smiled. "Is she allowed to do that?" Yao whispered. The others shrugged.

Mulan hurried over to the others wrapping her arms around her friends. Rob and Will got pulled into the embrace until he felt himself being lifted off the ground by Chien Po. Finally, they parted, and Yao made a loud sniffling noise until Ling handed him a silk handkerchief.

Mulan approached Shang with a hopeful smile. Shang stared at her in awe for a few seconds before he struggled to speak. "Um… You…" Mulan beamed. "You fight good," Shang concluded.

"UGH! Fail man! Epic Fail… oof. What was that for Will?"

Mulan's smile fell. "Oh… thank you." she said. She hurried away from Shang and over to Will and Rob's side. Rob was still rubbing his ribcage.

"Seriously, that was pitiful." Rob was muttering to Will. "You were awkward in the first movie, but the whole "Miss Swann" thing paid off in the end…"

"Congratulations Mulan," Will interrupted. "I'm sure your father will be very proud of you."

Mulan smiled, "Thank you, Will. I owe a lot to you and Rob. Is there any way I can repay you?"

Rob and Will exchanged a glance. "There is…" Rob said slowly, "But it's not a promise you should make lightly. It could be pretty dangerous."

"You guys risked your lives for me, a stranger, a stranger breaking a lot of rules," Mulan said. "It would be wrong for me to deny you anything."

Rob looked to Will. Will shrugged. "Okay," Rob said. "It's a long story, but we're assembling a team to take on The Thirteen."

Mulan's eyes widened, "The league of villains?"

"That's the one," Rob said. "Anyway, the numbers aren't on our side and we could really use a few more fighters on our side… and since you kinda kicked Shan Yu's ass… it would be good to have you with us. But we can't make you do this."

Mulan bowed to Rob, "It would be my honor to fight besides you again."

"Wow," Rob beamed, "Really. Well… uh thanks." He returned the bow.

"We have some business that we must attend to," Will said. "We will send for you when we need you. Until then… you should go to your father."

"Very well then," Mulan said. "Until then, be safe." She hugged Will and Rob tightly before she returned to horse. She climbed on Kahn's saddle. "Kahn, let's go home," she smiled before she rode off amidst thunderous applause out of the city.

"Well this is promising," Rob grinned. "We're gaining supporters and soon we'll have Kelsey and Jack back on our side. Plus we got Philip, Aladdin, Eric and Beast on our side and Ursula bit the dust.

"Eight to ten counting Kelsey and Jack," Will said. "It seems less impossible than it did before."

"Heck yeah," Rob grinned. "Now all we have to do is get to the temple… How are we gonna get to the temple?"

"Good question," Will said thoughtfully.

Rob glanced up and saw the Emperor approach Shang. "Hold on to that thought," Rob cried. He sprang over to The Emperor's side.

"You don't meet a girl like that every dynasty," The Emperor said to Shang meaningfully before replacing his hat and turning back towards his palace.

Rob skidded to a halt in front of him and bowed awkwardly. "Your grand, excellent Emperor-ness," he stammered. "I was one of the soldiers who helped Mulan. Not wanting to brag but I kinda saved her life. And because of that, I need a favor."

"You insolent boy!" Chi Fu cried. "How dare you make demands of the Emperor. He owes you nothing…"

"Now now Chi Fu," The Emperor held up a hand. "This boy is an honored guest. He has greatly helped our country. We can at least listen to his request." He turned to Rob. "What is it you desire young man?"

Rob grinned sheepishly, "I need a map."

-888-

Several dark shadows slunk about the dark trees of the forest. They had monstrous faces with long necks, claws and other ghoulish features. Some were tall as the dark pine trees they were silhouetted against while others were squat or snakelike with multiple They ran across the trees before coming to halt near a large fire, staying as far as they could from the flickering flames.

Dr. Facilier rose to his feet, temporarily leaving his other companions at the fire. Mim was roasting a hot dog on the end of a stick while Khaos was absently poking at the fire with a stick just to watch the sparks dance. He grinned as the flames leapt higher in the night sky. Facillier crossed over to the strange specters. He engaged in a hurried conversation with the shadowy figures before nodding approvingly and pointing back into the darkness with his cane. The shadows eagerly sped away from the light of the fire. Dr. Facilier returned to his new allies and sat on a log besides the flames.

"My friends on the other side have brought me some important news," he said.

"Oh?" Khaos said nonchalantly, watching the flame at the end of his stick twitch and burn.

"They're going to Disney Asia," Dr. Facilier said. "Might even be there already. I've sent word to The Thirteen via my friends. They'll send a ship for us promptly."

"Excellent," Khaos grinned. "How long until we get there?"

"A week or so," he said. "Depends on how long it takes the ship here…"

"YOWCH!" Mim suddenly yelped. She had been listening so intently to their discussion that she didn't notice the hot dog smoking on the end of her stick. Now it was burnt to a crisp and her fingers had been singed as well. She quickly blew out the hot dog while Dr. Facilier shook his head.

"Why is it that you put up with her?" He grumbled.

Khaos shrugged, "She's troublesome. And not just to the good guys." He grinned. "I like that."

Dr. Facilier shook his head, "You would set the entire forest on fire just to watch it burn."

"Don't give him any ideas," Mim muttered, sucking on her burnt fingers. "He just might."

"We will have to break camp quickly if we hope to make it to the docks on time," Dr. Facilier said. He hefted a bucket and dumped it over the flames.

"Very well then," Khaos smiled, bolting to his feet. "Shall we?" he grinned, gesturing ahead. Dr. Facilier nodded. As Mim and Khaos hurried forwards, Dr. Facilier stomped on the ashes just to be sure Khaos didn't have any ulterior plans.

-888-

"Welcome to Singapore, Will," Rob muttered over his shoulder. The two of them had been flying by the light of the moon. In its silvery light Rob could see Rob had the map that The Emperor had given them propped against the "dashboard" of The Spirit so he could read it in the Crystal's glow. He could see the island in the distance surrounded by the dark shimmering waves of The Ocean.

Will shifted and reluctantly opened his eyes. He had been asleep in the back seat for the past hour or so. It was easier for him to deal with flying if he had his eyes closed and he had drifted off, still worn out from Shang's training. He shifted, wincing at the aching in his back. "How much further?"

"Shouldn't be too far," Rob said, "Singapore isn't THAT big of a country… at least not in my world. The Emperor's map says that it shouldn't be too from here.

Rob lowered The Spirit so they flew just over the tips of the dark trees. Will sat up and peered ahead at the darkness. He squinted as something shimmering in the moonlight. "I think I see it," Will said.

"Where?"

"There," Will pointed ahead and sure enough the peaks of a large stone temple rose up above the trees. silhouetted against the white moon. "The Temple of the Farthest Gate."

"Ooh. Ominous," Rob said. "What do we do?"

"Land this thing and we can scout the area," Will said. Rob did as he was told. He carefully landed the newly repaired vehicle and hid it in the shrubs around the area. Will and Rob lightly got to their feet and began to examine the area. It didn't appear that there were any guards… only darkness.

They didn't have to walk far to come across the temple. The trees parted and they could see the manificent structure, eerily bright in the darkness. The temple was a white stoned building built of marble. The temple was several tiers with jade statues trimmed in gold. They appeared to be lions and dragons intricately perched upon the peaks and staring down at the intruders with red ruby eyes. A long stair case led up to a large golden door several tiers up. There were red columns on either side of the door and the door was covered in mysterious golden symbols. Will and Rob huffed and puffed up the steps, often pausing for breath before they reached the top.

"That's… that's a lot of steps," Rob gasped.

"Uh huh," Will panted. He peered at the doors. "What do you suppose those symbols mean?"

"My Mandarin's a little rusty," Rob grumbled. "But 41 episodes of Scooby Doo leads me to believe that its probably some warning about entering the sacred temple with a few threats or curses added for good measure."

"Nothing in my experience working with Jack Sparrow would say otherwise," Will frowned. "Grand."

"Are you superstitious?" Rob asked skeptically.

"It's not your world, Rob," Will said. "Curses are very real here. And I've run into my share of nasty ones."

Rob shrugged, "Real or not we still have to go in." He stepped forwards and pushed open the golden doors.

-888-

The interior of the temple was just as elegant as the exterior. The floors were shiny jade green and tall red columns littered the courtyard, accented with gold trim. A long red carpet led to a red pedestal, flanked on either side by tall golden statues of fudogs with jade green eyes.

On top of the pedestal was a coiled scroll. It could only be the map.

"Does this seem too easy to you or is it just me?" Rob asked.

"Definitely a trap of some sort," Will said. "Not sure how though."

Rob took a step forwards. As he did, a burst of flame spat out of the floor. Rob leapt backwards as his eyes were nearly singed off his face. Rob's face had gone pale. "Well…" he said. "That's not so easy. What now?"

Will was surveying the floors trying to determine where the ancients who had built the temple had decided to lay their snares. "I guess, we don't have much of a choice. Let's just… take this slowly."

Rob nodded. They cautiously took a step forwards, both breathing out sighs of relief once nothing happened. Another step. Nothing. Another. And another.

"GET DOWN!" Will roared suddenly. All Rob heard was the shift of a tile and suddenly Will knocked him flat against the ground. A large log swung down like a pendulum Rob ducked his head down just in time, but it managed to knock his tri-cornered hat from his head and smash it into the wall. Rob stared at his mangled hat in shock.

"Okay," Will whispered, "I think it's okay." The two of them slowly rose to their feet. Rob took another hesitant step forwards. They had nearly approached the fudogs when Rob felt the familiar feeling of a tile lowering beneath his foot. Will lunged forwards knocking Rob out of the way. A rain of miniature darts fell down where Rob had stood only seconds before. Will breathed a sigh of relief before glaring at Rob. Rob smiled sheepishly.

"Sorry," he murmured.

"New plan," Will sighed. "You stay here. Try not to get hurt. I'll go get the charts. Okay?"

"I don't want you to get hurt," Rob insisted.

"Then, stay here," Will growled.

Rob crossed his arms and spat out his tongue as Will cautiously took a few steps forwards.

Will took his steps slowly, his whole body was tense like he was ready to spring away at a moment's notice. Will had nearly made it there when one of the tiles beneath his feet vanished, a trap door. Will leapt up and managed to land with one foot on either side of the trap door. Rob let out a yelp of fear. He wobbled dangerously flailing his arms as he struggled to regain his balance. Finally, he managed to steady himself. He glanced over his shoulder at Rob, who gaped at him with wide eyes and an open mouth.

"I'm okay," he said shakily. Rob heaved a sigh of relief. Will managed to take a few steps forwards. Arriving at the base of the pedestal. He slowly made his ways up the steps, close enough to reach out a grab the charts. Will hesitated, eyeing the charts.

"Be careful Will," Rob said. "This could be the big one."

Will nodded. His hands quickly lunged forwards. He clutched the charts in his hands and jumped away. Rob was unable to stifle a small scream of fear. But as Will backed away from the pedestal nothing happened.

"Nothing?" Rob whispered.

Suddenly, a rumbling began to shake the temple. Will glanced up at the ceiling. Several ceiling tiles had opened up and ropes had dropped down from them. "Rob run!" he screamed.

A small squad of black clothed men dropped down from the ceiling armed to the teeth with knives. "Will!" Rob screamed.

The men lunged at Will. Will gripped the charts tight in his hands and swung them at the closest assailant striking him hard in the head. "Go find Elizabeth and the others," he roared, tearing his sword free from his scabbard. "You can't take them all on at once. They won't kill me without interrogating me. GO!"

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?" Rob cried.

"GO," Will bellowed. "Before the door closes…"

"But you'll… door closes?" Rob suddenly realized why the temple was rumbling. The mighty golden door was closing. With one last look back at Will, Rob scrambled over the tiles that he had already stepped on, knowing that the traps had been disabled. Several of the men chased after him. Rob sped up staring at the door and the gap that was getting narrower and narrower. Rob turned himself sideways, drew a deep breath and threw himself through the space.

Rob lay sprawled on the white stone. There was a loud booming sound of the door closing behind him. Rob bolted upright. "No," he whispered. But it was too late. The door was closed and Will was sealed inside.


	34. The Disney Solution

**The Great Disney Adventure III: Heroes and Villains**

**A Disney story by talking2myself**

**DISCLAIMER: **See Chapter 1.

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**: To my devoted fans trying to figure out what movies Khaos and the temple from the previous chapter are from please stop. They are created by me and property of talking2myself productions (Just like Kelsey, Emma, Rob etc.) Apparently I didn't make this clear enough. Anyways, onto the next one.

PS. As I write this chapter, I am watching Alice in Wonderland (the cartoon version and first movie that Kelsey crashed and inherited her "Hatter" look and name) and feeling quite nostalgic.

**Chapter. 34. The Disney Solution**

Rob swore as a branch crashed across his cheek, but he didn't slow down. He couldn't afford to. A large scrape ran across his cheek as The Spirit swooped forwards wildly. Rob pressed a hand to his cheek, wiping away the small trace of blood before he slammed his hand onto the inscription pad once again. The Spirit jolted forwards, clipping trees as he soared forwards. He clung desperately to it keeping his eyes peeled for any sign of civilization.

The twinkling lights of a city glimmered below him. Rob roughly lowered the vehicle until it struck the ground. On shaky legs, Rob rose from The Spirit. He gripped one end and pulled it into a dingy alleyway. An old abandoned piece of sailcloth lay there, half covered by garbage and ripped with large tears. Rob hauled the foul piece of cloth up and draped it over The Spirit hoping that it would keep it hidden.

He raced out of the alley, looking both ways frantically._ Great. Just great. Will's captured. I can't get back into the temple and I don't even speak the language here. Just great._

More terrifying than all of this was the fact that for the first time since he had met Alice in Wonderland he was alone. Well and truly alone. Rob swallowed hard. He couldn't think about that. His sister depended on him…. Somewhere. His cousin depended upon him… also somewhere. Rob pulled his hat down onto his brow, unknowingly adopting his sister's habit when she needed to buck up, and wrapped his great coat tighter around himself.

He made his way up and down the streets. The streets were full of people but no one looked familiar. He kept moving struggling to keep his thoughts away from Will and swallow the lump that kept developing in his throat.

Hours passed as Rob made his way up and down the dark streets. He begged everyone he came across for help, but no one could understand him. A few ran in fear from him, thinking he was trying to rob them. A few gave him a blank stare and a sympathetic pat on the shoulder before continuing on their way. He swore that one old man almost understood him. He stared at Rob for a long time, as though contemplating his words. Then, he burst out laughing and continued on his way. Rob was alone and he found himself standing on a bridge staring down at the black water below.

"This is bad," he whispered outloud feeling tears spring to his eyes. "Real bad. Kelsey I'm really screwed right now."

Rob let his head rest on his arms on the railing of the bridge. He trembled and tried to picture what his older sister would do, what Will or Jack or his parents would do. Unfortunately, he didn't arrive at any conclusions.

He was about to continue on his way when he heard something faint echoing in the distance. Rob bolted upright. Singing. Faint singing.

"_Some men have died_

_and some are alive_

_and others sail on the sea_

_with the keys to the cage_

_and the Devil to pay_

_we lay to Fiddler's Green_

_The bell has been raised_

_from it's watery grave_

_Do you hear it's sepulchral tone?_

_We are a call to all,_

_pay heed the squall"_

Elizabeth.

Rob leaned over as far as he could. There was a small boat rowing beneath him. A woman with a straw hat poled her way forwards. Even in her disguise Rob recognized her instantly.

"_Elizabeth!" he cried._

"_Yo, ho, haul together,_

_hoist the colours high_

_Heave ho…"_

"ELIZABETH!" Rob shouted before toppling over the side of the bridge and landing onto the boat. Elizabeth jumped as the boat rocked wildly, nearly capsizing.

"What the bloody hell do you think…. ROB!" Elizabeth lunged forwards wrapping him in a rib-crushing hug. Elizabeth looked as though she wanted to ask him more questions when another voice sang out from behind them.

"_Thief and beggar, never say we die!_"

A scraggly looking Singapore fellow stepped out of the shadows. He was flanked by two companions who looked as scrawny and unkempt as him.

"A dangerous song to be singing, for anyone ignorant of its meaning." the man said. "Particularly a woman. Particularly a woman alone."

"What am I? Chopped liver?" Rob grumbled as he struggled to steady the boat. Elizabeth released him and stepped on the docks.

"What makes you think she's alone?" Rob jumped as he heard Barbosa's voice come from the shadows. The man casually strolled out onto the dock.

"You protect her?" the man asked.

Rob snorted, "Hmm. That's rich. Elizabeth I really…"

Elizabeth suddenly lunged forwards, pressing her knife to the man's throat. "And what makes you think I need protecting?"

Barbossa stepped forwards. "Your master's expecting us and an unexpected death'd cast a slight poll on our meeting." The man scowled and Elizabeth reluctantly released him. The man glared at them and then motioned for the others to follow him into what appeared to be some sort of bathhouse.

"Has Will got the charts?" Elizabeth asked.

"That's kinda what I need to talk to you about," Rob insisted.

"I trust young Turner to acquire the charts and you to remember your place in the presence of Captain Sao Feng," Barbosa interrupted.

"Is he that terrifying?" Elizabeth asked skeptically.

"Elizabeth," Rob tried again tugging on her sleeve like he was a child.

"Hush," Elizabeth shushed. Rob glared at her.

"He's much like myself but absent of my merciful nature and sense of fair play." Elizabeth frowned.

Their new-found guide knocked on the wooden door. Someone on the opposite side pulled open a slot. "Hoi," said the fellow. The slot closed and the door was opened and Rob was roughly pushed inside. "Relinquish your weapons." he ordered them.

Barbosa reluctantly began removing his small arsenal of pointy objects. Rob was forced to unclasp Switch from his belt. The last thing that he wanted to do was place it on top of the growing pile. Elizabeth tried to follow the others, but their guide held up a hand halting her. "Did you think because she is a woman we would not suspect her of treachery?"

Barbossa offered a half-hearted grin, "When you put it _that _way…"

"Remove please." he ordered.

Elizabeth glared at him. She opened her jacket and removed a harness full of guns and swords. After that she removed two small pistols and a bomb from the insides of her sleeves. Rob's mouth hung open as Elizabeth reached back and removed a massive gun from… well to be honest, Rob didn't know _where _she pulled it from and he was not curious.

"Holy crap," Rob cried in awe. "Remind me to stay on your good side."

Elizabeth tried to take a step forwards, but the man held up a hand again. "Remove, please," he said with a lecherous smile. Elizabeth glared at him.

-888-

The bath house was expectedly hot and steamy. Rob pulled at the collar of his great coat and lifted his hat off, fanning his face with it. Standing before them in long black robes stood a tall bald man with long fine beards and moustaches. On either side stood female attendants in matching robes. The man turned to face them slowly before offering them a smile.

"Captain Barbossa, welcome to Singapore."

"Sao Feng?" Rob asked quietly. Elizabeth nodded.

Sao Feng turned to the woman on his right. "More steam." he ordered.

The woman pulled a wooden lever and the room filled up with clouds of steam. "For crying out loud," Rob groaned. "Now I know how a baked potato feels."

"I understand that you have a request to make of me," Sao Feng said.

"More of a proposal to put to ye." Barbosa stated. "I've a venture underway and I find myself in need of a ship and a crew."

"And why should I help you?" Sao Feng demanded.

"Parley," Rob chimed. Both Elizabeth and Barbosa darted annoyed looks at Rob. "You kinda have to," Rob added.

Sao Feng chuckled. "That rule is only for pirates, boy."

Rob stepped forwards boldly. "Hey, I'm a pirate. I have a ship."

Sao Feng burst out laughing. "What is your name, _boy_?" Rob didn't like the emphasis that he put on that last word.

"Rob Hatter," he said. "_Captain _Rob Hatter."

"Oh," he grinned. "You claim to be a pirate. Prove it."

"Eh ahem," Rob said. Struggling to think. "Prove it… wait… I got it. This how all you Disney guys fix all your problems." He cleared his throat. "Key of G please?"

"What are you doing?" Elizabeth demanded.

"Just go with it," Rob insisted. "I need him to like me so I can save Will."

"Save Will?" Elizabeth cried.

One of the pirates removed a harmonica and blew out a note. Rob cleared his throat. "_W-when I was just a lad looking for my true vocation, my father said "Now son, this choice deserves deliberation. Though you could be a doctor or p-perhaps a financier, my boy why not consider a more challenging career?_" Rob turned to the harmonica player. "Key change," he muttered.

"_Hey Ho hum_," he sang with three of the large pirates stepping out from the scene and singing along with him. "_You'll cruise to foreign shores and you'll keep your mind and body sound by working out of doors_."

Rob stepped forwards for his solo, "_True friendship and adventure are what we can't live without and when you're a professional pirate…_" Rob grinned and held out his arms, "_That's what the job's about_."

Rob turned to his newfound back up singers. "Upstage, guys, he ordered. "This could be my ONLY number!" Elizabeth pressed her head in her hand while the men scurried to obey Rob.

"_Now take Sir Francis Drake_," Rob sang holding up one hand, "_The Spanish all despise him_." He showed lifted his other hand, "_But to the British he's a hero and they idolize him. It's how you look at buccaneers that makes them bad or good and I see us as members of a noble brotherhood._"

"_Hey ho ho we're honorable men,_" his back up pirates sang.

"_And… and.. And… before we lose our tempers we will always count to ten_," Rob sang holding up ten fingers. "_On occasion there may be someone you have to execute_." Rob made a gun symbol with his thumb and forefinger.

"But when your a professional pirate," the others sang, looking expectantly at Rob. "_Er Eh… um… oh!… You don't have to wear a suit!_" The pirates looked at Rob skeptically. "What?" Rob snapped "How many words do you know that rhyme with 'execute'?" Rob stepped forwards, "_I could have been a surgeon. I like taking things apart_." He mimed strangling Barbosa. He sprang back, "_I could have been a lawyer but I just had too much heart_." He pressed his hands to his heart. "_I could have been in politics Cause I've always been a big spender…_" He slung an arm around Sao Feng. "_And me...I coulda been… a contender_." He sang in his best Marlon Brando voice. Sao Geng glared at him. Rob cleared his throat. "Now if you were from my world you would have thought that was hilarious." He jumped in front of his pirates again. "_Some say that pirates steal and should be feared and hated_." He splayed a hand across his chest. "_I say we're victims of bad press it's all exaggerated. We'd never stab you in the back, we'd never lie or cheat_."

He grinned, "_We're just about the nicest guys you'd ever want to meet._"

"_Hey ho ho It's one for all for one_," the pirates sang. "_And we'll share and share alike with you and love you like a son_." They hugged Rob tightly, lifting him up before plopping him back down on the ground. "_We're gentlemen of fortune and that's what we're proud to be. And when your a professional pirate._"

Rob sprang forwards. "_You'll be honest brave and free, the soul of decency. You'll be loyal and fair and on the square and most importantly When you're a professional pirate you're always in the best of company._" Rob held out his arms dramatically and panted.

Sao Feng watched silently before he smirked. "Charming. Very well then, _pirate_. We'll discuss your _parley_."

Rob grinned, "See. Disney solution. Sing."

"Now then," Sao Feng said. "to the matter at hand. It's an odd coincidence."

"Because you happen to have a ship and a crew you don't need?" Elizabeth chimed.

"No," Sao Feng said, the amusement vanished from his eyes. "Because earlier this day not far from here a thief broke into my most revered uncle's temple and tried to make off with these."

Rob gasped at a familiar sight in Sao Feng's hands. "The navigational charts, the route to the farthest gate. Wouldn't it be amazing if this venture of yours took you to the world beyond this one?"

The silence was heavy. "It would strain credulity at that," Barbosa said at last.

Sao Feng smiled and nodded to the two men at the side of the room. The man nodded and hauled a something out of a barrel of water. There was a loud gasp for air and Rob let out a cry of both relief and fear.

Will.

Will coughed up water painfully. Rob wasn't sure how to feel. On the plus side, he was alive. On the other hand, he was nearly drowned. Their eyes met for a moment and Will let out a sigh of relief as well. The relief was short lived. Rob glared at Elizabeth.

"Remember when I said I needed to talk to you," he hissed. Elizabeth's face had gone pale and her eyes were locked on Will's. For a brief moment, Rob thought that he saw the same loving glow that he had seen between them so long ago.

"This is the thief, is his face familiar to you?" Sao Feng demanded. It took everything in Rob and Elizabeth to shake their heads mutely. Sao Feng shrugged, "Then I guess he has no further need for it." He hefted a knife. Will's face blanched.

"No!" Elizabeth cried.

Sao Feng looked smug. Rob frowned before turning to Will. "Will, if I swear if I knew you were in there I would have skipped the second verse."

Will shook his head. Despite their dire situation Rob actually felt relieved. He knew that will wasn't crushed to death in some temple. But now it seemed that they were at the mercy of this mysterious pirate lord from the east.

And he didn't look happy.


	35. Who's He With?

**The Great Disney Adventure III: Heroes and Villains**

**A Disney story by talking2myself**

**DISCLAIMER: See Chapter 1**

Chapter. 35 Who's He With?

"You come into my city and you betray my hospitality," Sao Feng snapped.

Barbosa glanced towards Elizabeth before he stammered, "Sao Feng, I assure you, I had no idea…"

"That he would get caught!" Sao Feng roared. Rob winced. "You intend to attempt a voyage to Davy Jones Locker," Sao Feng said. "But I cannot help but wonder, why?"

Barbosa frowned and then tossed a coin towards Sao Feng. The man caught it lightly in one hand and held it to his ear. Once everyone was silent, Rob could hear a faint ringing sound from the coin.

"The song has been sung," Barbosa said quietly. "The time is upon us, we must convene the Brethren court. As one of the nine pirate lords you must honor the call." Rob eyed Barbosa anxiously. Will had told him about the situation involving Port Royal and the hangings of the pirates. As uneasy as it made him feel he knew that he had to stay focused on getting his sister back.

Sao Feng scowled as he clutched the coin in his hand. "More steam," he demanded. One of his female attendants tugged on the lever. A few seconds passed but no steam appeared. "More steam!" Sao Feng yelled. The woman tugged the lever and this time clouds of steam billowed around them. Rob glanced around the area. Something seemed… off.

"There is a price on all our heads," Sao Feng said. "It is true, it seems the only way a pirate can turn profit anymore is by betraying other pirates.

"The first Brethren court gave us rule of the seas, now that rule is being challenged by Lord Cutler Beckett," Barbosa explained.

"Against the East India Trading Company what value is the Brethren court?" Sao Feng cried, "What can any of us do?"

"You can fight!" Elizabeth burst. She took a few steps forwards. One of the men gripped her shoulder but she flung him off. "Get off me!" she growled. Rob watched as Will's eyes suddenly widened. Rob could practically hear his thoughts and they greatly resembled those of Jack Sparrow. _Don't do anything stupid._ "You are Sao Feng the pirate lord of Singapore," Elizabeth entreated. "Would you have that era come to an end on your watch? The most notorious pirates from around the world are uniting against our enemy and yet you sit here cowering in your bath water!"

Sao Feng gave Elizabeth a long hard look. "Elizabeth Swann, there is more to you than meets the eye isn't there? And the eye does not go wanting." Rob thought Will was going to snap the wooden spar holding him back in two and strangle Sao Feng. He glared at the pirate lord. "But I cannot help but notice," Sao Feng continued. "You have failed to answer my question. What is it you seek in Davy Jones' Locker?"

"Jack Sparrow," Will said bluntly.

The two female attendants giggled until Sao Feng glared at them. "He's one of the pirate lords," Will explained.

Sao Feng's face morphed into a mask of anger. "The only reason," he said slowly, dangerously. "I would want Jack Sparrow returned from the land of the dead is so I could send him back myself!"

Rob frowned and turned to Will. "We REALLY got to stop associating ourselves with Jack Sparrow."

"Jack Sparrow holds one of the nine pieces of eight," Barbosa said quickly in a valiant attempt to salvage the situation. "He failed to pass it along to a successor before he died so we must go and get him back."

As the situation grew tenser, Rob couldn't help but notice something. One of the men who stood close to Sao Feng. He had an elaborate black tattoo but right now it was beginning to run down his chest.

Rob quirked an eyebrow. _Either he's a poser who's afraid of needles or something is fishy._

"So, you admit you have deceived me," Sao Feng roared. "Weapons!"

Men sprang out of barrels and from behind corners. Quickly surrounding them. "Crap," Rob groaned.

"Sao Feng I assure you our intentions are strictly honorable," Barbosa insisted.

At that moment, swords flung up through the floorboards. Rob awkwardly caught Switch in one hand. Barbosa grinned sheepishly at Sao Feng struggling to find an excuse.

Rob's heart was pounding once he realized that swords had magically appeared literally out of nowhere. Then, it clicked. "The men are beneath the floorboards aren't they?"

"Yes," Elizabeth whispered.

Rob frowned and stomped on the floor. "You idiots are lucky you have decent aim."

Sao Feng suddenly rushed forwards and gripped the man with the running tattoo. He withdrew his sword and held it to the man's throat.

"Drop your weapons," Sao Feng ordered, "Or I kill the man!"

Rob turned to the others. "Were you guys recruiting while I was gone?"

"Kill him," Barbosa shrugged. "He's not our man."

"If he's not with you, and he's not with us…" Will said slowly. "Who's he with?"

At that moment, the walls of the bathhouse were nearly destroyed by the wave of soldiers that tore through them. "It's Becky!" Rob screamed.

The room dissolved into a melee of swords, guns and shouting. Swords clashed against each other as Sao Feng's men flung themselves against the East India Company soldiers, splashing in the water wildly. Will used the spar that he was tied to ram into an attacking man's stomach. He held up the spar defensively to ward off a sword when the sword slashed through the bonds and he was able to free his hands.

"Will!" Elizabeth cried as she tossed him a sword. Will caught it nimbly. Emerging through the crowds was one of the most terrifying people Rob had ever seen. Mercer, Beckett's head minion.

Mercer lifted the pistol and aimed at Elizabeth. Will lunged forwards pushing her out the way. The bullet struck one of the female attendants squarely in the forehead and she stumbled back into the other's arms.

Rob hacked and slashed wildly struggling to keep anyone with a sword away from him. He froze suddenly when he turned around and saw a wall of rifles aimed at him. Rob squeezed his eyes shut but suddenly an explosion erupted up from underneath the floorboards. Rob stared at the smoke for a few moments in disbelief.

"If I had to guess…."

"Marty," Will and Elizabeth said in unison.

"Yup," Rob agreed.

"RUN!" Sao Feng shrieked. Both Sao Feng's men and the crew raced out of the bath house. Sao Feng lifted his head above the fray. "Charts!" The charts were tossed to him. Suddenly, Gibbs burst through with a pistol in either hand and Pintel and Ragetti close behind. Marty emerged and fire a gun half his size. The gun blasted and sent him flying backwards. Rob turned around just in time to catch him before they toppled to the ground.

"Nice kaboom there Marty," Rob smiled before propping him upright. Marty grinned before reloading his weapon and taking off after Gibbs. Rob looked around for Will and Elizabeth. He couldn't see either of them. He raced forwards. Until he caught sight of Sao Feng gripping Will and slamming him into a wall. "Will!" Rob cried gripping Switch's hilt and racing after them. Rob froze behind the wall afraid to attack him. If he missed, Will was dead… and so was he. He couldn't afford to screw up.

"It's an odd coincidence isn't it? The East India Trading Company finds me the day you show up in Singapore," Sao Feng snarled.

"It is coincidence only," Will said. He suddenly whipped out a dagger and broke free of Sao Feng's grip. Rob nearly sprang forwards, but quickly realized that Will had the situation under control. Will rested his dagger against Sao Feng's neck. "If you want to make a deal with Beckett," Will said. "You need what I offer."

Sao Feng's eyes narrowed. "You crossed Barbossa, you are willing to cross Jack Sparrow. Why should I expect any better?"

Will was silent for a few moments before he finally spoke. "I need the Black Pearl to free my father. You are helping me to get it."

Rob sprang back out of sight. His father? Rob struggled to remember the last time that he had even mentioned his father. He knew that Bootstrap Bill had been a major point of contention between Will and his sister. Their disagreements about how Kelsey had handled the matter very nearly ended their friendship, not to mention it led to a swordfight.

For the longest time, Will had been focused on getting to the locker for the sole purpose and getting Jack and Kelsey out. He knew that Will wanted to help Kelsey. Will was a terrible liar and he could see the concern for his friend whenever they discussed his sister.

Jack, however, was another story. A means to an end.

Rob couldn't say why, but something about Will's statement worried him.

"Rob?"

Rob let out a cry and jumped as he felt Will's hand on his shoulder. "Are you alright?" Will asked quickly. "Are you hurt?"

"No, no I'm fine," he insisted. "Are you alright? Where's Sao Feng?"

At that moment, Rob realized that Will was holding something in his hand. Rob's eyes widened. "Are those the charts?!"

"Yes," Will said. "We've reached an arrangement. "Come on we need to find the others."

Rob nodded distractedly and followed Will as they made their way towards the others. Rob spotted Barbosa and his feathered hat first. Barbosa's eyes locked on the charts in his hands. "You have the charts?"

"And better yet," Will added. "A ship and a crew. We can send the Hispaniola back to New Brisbon. We have no business putting the muppets in danger."

"Where's Sao Feng?" Elizabeth asked.

"He'll cover our escape and meet us a Shipwreck Cove," Will said.

At that moment, the pirate sprang forwards. Tai Huang was his name. "This way, be quick," he ordered.

"We need to collect the others," Elizabeth said. "We'll regroup and meet you at the docks in an hour." Tai Huang nodded and vanished into the crowds. "We have much to do," Elizabeth said.

"Yeah," Rob sighed. "But at least we're together again… right?" Will and Elizabeth looked up and exchanged a glance that Rob couldn't quite decipher.

"Right," Will said without any real enthusiasm. Rob sighed and followed the others back to the inn.

-888-

"ROB!" Emma sprang across the floor before launching herself at her cousin and wrapping her arms tightly around his legs. "Everybody!" she yelled. "They're back."

At that moment, Alice appeared on the steps. Her whole face lit up once she caught sight of Rob. "Rob," she cried as she flew down the stairs and threw her arms around him. "I was so worried. What are you doing here?"

"Long story," Rob mumbled, trapped in a double bear hug. He wrapped one hand around Alice awkwardly and the other around Emma. "We don't have time to explain it now."

Sophia and Jackie poked their heads out of their bedroom. "Will? Rob?" Sophia asked in confusion. "What in Disney's name are you…"

"Wake everyone up," Elizabeth ordered. "Tell the muppet crew that they need to set sail immediately before they are caught in the East India Trading Company's crossfire."

"C-c-crossfire?" Jackie asked.

"East India Trading Company?" Sophia echoed. "What do they have to do with anything?"

"We have a ship and a crew," Rob said prying Emma off his legs. "We need to get out of here while Sao Feng covers us. Wake everyone up."

Sophia still looked a little bit dazed but she nodded and moved about the floor. A few moments later Rob could hear her yelling. The whole inn would be awake in seconds.

Alice's hand went to Rob's cheek. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, just peachy," Rob smiled. "You guys alright?"

"Fine," Alice smiled, "Just waiting for you."

Rob grinned and gave her a quick kiss. "I missed you."

"I missed you too," she smiled.

"HELLOOOO," Emma cried. "Little kid right here."

Rob reached down and pushed Emma's hat down over her face before he kissed Alice again. A few seconds later, Aaron appeared on the stairs.

"Hey lovebirds," he yelled. "Get a room. Or better yet. Get packing. Sophia says we have an hour to bug out."

"Yes, yes of course." Rob cried. They were all together again. A fact that Rob was extremely grateful for. But the danger was far from over.


	36. Soft and Swift as Shadows

**The Great Disney Adventure III: Heroes and Villains**

**A Disney story by talking2myself**

**DISCLAIMER: See Chapter 1**

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **Let me just say that I had every intention of getting this written and posted earlier. But God continues to mock my plans. I experienced both a flat tire and an overflowing toilet. Oh the joys of living on my own.

**Chapter. 36 Soft and Swift as Shadows**

Emma bobbed up and down as she clung to Rob's back. Her pointed straw hat with the wide brim had fallen down onto her back, and her arms were wrapped around his neck. He had clasped her legs under his arms. They scampered across the dark streets as they made their way to the docks. Screaming and fire still echoed all around them and the smell of smoke was thick in the air. Over all this noise, Rob could hear Emma's quick breath in his ear. Even though his cousin had insisted over and over "that she was a big girl and could walk" Rob was extremely reluctant to put her down. There was a good possibility that she could swept away in the darkness and he would never forgive himself if something would happen to both her and Kelsey.

Plus she _was_ scared. He could tell.

Alice moved alongside him as they made their way through the darkness. Every once in a while she would slip her hand into his and squeeze just to assure him that she was still there. There was a splashing sound as a rowboat was dropped into the water. Emma let out a tiny squeak of fear and her grip tightened around his neck. Rob made a gurgling sound and loosened her grip with his fingers. "Easy there Emma," he stammered.

"I'm not scared," Emma whispered, staring out at the docks with big eyes.

That was a blatant lie, but Rob could not help but be proud about how brave his cousin was trying to be. He patted her tiny hand and smiled. "Of course not."

"Jim!" Alice whispered loudly. She hurried ahead a few paces. Rob squinted in the darkness as Jim and Squire Trelawney emerged from the darkness. Alice's feet caused the deck to squeak beneath her. Jim let out a sigh of relief before he approached her.

"Alice, are you guys alright?" Jim asked.

"Yes, we're fine," Alice said. "What about you?"

"We're all well," Jim said. "That crazy self-firing cannon may have saved our lives. They couldn't keep up."

"That's wonderful," Rob interrupted, genuine relief in his voice. He hurried to their side. "But you need to get out of here. Sao Feng is covering our escape but he can't do that for long. We really don't have time for long goodbyes."

"But what's going on?" Jim asked.

"It's Beckett," Rob said. "It's a long story, but he doesn't like us and he won't like you. You guys need to bail... like yesterday."

"Of course," Squire Trelawney sighed. "You know Captain Hatter. The entire crew would be willing to come with you on your journey."

"Don't take this the wrong way," Rob said with a small smile. "You guys have been an awesome crew. But we can't ask you to risk your lives any further. Go back to New Bristol."

"Very well then," Trelawney said sadly. He pressed his finger to his ear. "Mr. Bimbo says he wishes you all the best."

Rob smiled at the dopey bear. "Right back at ya Mr. Bimbo."

"Rob!" Will whispered fiercely. "Hurry!"

"Goodbye," Rob whispered. Jim waved sadly before the two scurried back to their own ship. Will gripped Rob's shoulder hard and pulled him hard into the longboat. "Hurry up." he whispered. "We don't have much time. We have to be quiet and get out of here as fast as possible."

_Soft and quick as shadows we must be._

The quote came unbidden to his mind. It took him a few moments to place it before he realized that it was from The Lord of the Rings. His sister's favorite book. His sister's favorite non-Disney movie. He shook his head hard.

_Give me a break! _He pleaded with his sub-conscious_. I'm doing my best to save her. _

-888-

Rob climbed aboard the ship known as the Hai Peng. He held out a hand for Alice as she climbed aboard. Emma slid down his back and landed on the floor. Sophia was close behind him and Jackie and Aaron following. "Alright," Sophia said once she was aboard. "You know the drill." She gripped Emma's shoulders and led her towards the stairs that led below.

"Go find a new cowering place?" Emma asked.

"Yup," Sophia said with a smile. "You too Jackie. Find somewhere to lock up Aaron while you're down there."

"This is getting really old," Aaron grumbled.

"Smile and nod boy," Emma grumbled. "Smile and nod."

As Sophia corralled his cousin, Rob leaned over the edge of yet another new ship. He watched The Hispaniola as the "floating psycho ward" vanished into the fog. Another ship had come and gone. Another place that he had grown to love and call home.

The Hai Peng would never become home. Rob had decided that instantly. He had retrieved The Spirit from the alleyway and landed it before going back to the inn to retrieve Emma. It was tied down on the decks. Sophia was already inspecting the ship for dust. Aaron was sulking below deck while Jackie played with Emma. It was nearly the same layout as the Hispaniola.

But it wasn't home.

There were too many pirates… not the friendly kind either. Tai Huang kept shooting him dirty looks and Rob would glare back. He vowed to make sure someone was with Emma at all times. Lest someone try to steal her… or even sell her.

Alice stood near the edge besides him and they stared out at the ship as it sailed away. "Well," she said with a faint smile. "Here we go again."

"Yup," he sighed. "Just jumping off the edge of the world. No big deal."

Alice clasped his hand and squeezed. "We'll find her."

"I know," Rob said softly.

Alice leaned forwards and kissed his cheek. "I missed you."

Rob smiled. "I missed you too."

Rob squeezed her hand back as they sailed into the night.

-888-

"Oh Dr. Facilier you shouldn't have!"

Khaos looked downright delighted at the sight that awaited them when they arrived in Singapore. He merrily leapt from their longboat and examined the ruined remains of Singapore's decks. It was morning when they arrived and it looked as though a bomb had exploded the entire city. The city still smelled like ash and soot covered the ground. Most of the buildings were toppled over. It seemed like there were more people wandering the streets than in their houses. Khaos grinned. "Creating all this chaos for me? What a welcome."

Dr. Facilier rolled his eyes. "It wasn't me you fool! The Thirteen didn't do this?"

Khaos frowned. "No? Then who?"

"Hmm," Mim examined the charred remains of a house. She knelt down and picked up an abandoned bayonet. "I'd say this has Lord Beckett's fingerprints all over."

"Oh Lord Becky?" Khaos asked.

Dr. Facilier quirked an eyebrow, "What?!"

"Lord Becky," Khaos repeated. "I heard that going around. Some of the sailors were cursing his name on their way to the grave. I imagine He doesn't like the name."

"That's putting it mildly," Mim grumbled. "She doesn't like anything that has to do with Kelsey…. Especially that nickname."

Dr. Facilier rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "So… tell me witch. Why would Lord Beckett come to Singapore?"

Mim shrugged, "Pirate hunting I suppose."

"Right," Dr. Facilier said. "Though I don't imagine Beckett travels himself very often. Correct?"

"No," Mim admitted. "Mostly he sends his henchmen… especially Mercer. He sends him for the important jobs."

"Then, the question is," Dr. Facilier said. "What could be so valuable to send Mercer all the way out to Singapore?"

"I can only think of…" Mim froze. "The brother."

Dr. Facilier grinned. "We're gaining on them."

-888-

THE OCEAN

"No one said anything about cold."

Pintel grumbled as he shivered beneath a blanket. Jack the monkey's teeth was chattering as he struggled to stay warm. Emma had taken to carrying the little monkey around underneath her blanket like he was a teddy bear. The fact that he was undead clearly didn't bother the poor girl. Emma was wearing her dopey hat underneath her conical wide brimmed straw hat. Tinker Bell was sitting on top of Emma's head wrapped up in the cloth of her hat.

"It's not that cold," Emma said. "Probably only thirty below zero?"

"Only?" Pintel echoed.

"I'm sure there must be a good reason for our suffering," Ragetti murmured.

"Why don't that obe woman just bring Jack back the same way she brought back Barbossa?" Pintel cried.

"Because Barbossa was only dead," Emma and the two pirates jumped when Tia Dalma suddenly appeared behind them. "Jack Sparrow is taken, body and soul, to a place not of death but punishment." She said. "The worst fate a person can bring upon himself stretching on forever, that's what awaits at Davy Jones Locker."

She swept past them and continued to move towards the deck.

Ragetti shrugged before turning towards Pintel. "There, I knew there was a good reason."

Emma scowled and glared at Tia Dalma's retreating figure. "Don't listen to her," she snapped. "We're gonna get Kelsey back. And Jack too."

-888-

Rob could hear Alice sneeze loudly below deck as he made his way up to the main deck. He wasn't sure where they were, but it was cold. Rob eyed the ice in the water cautiously. The memory of breaking the ice so The Pearl could escape the ice titan was still all too fresh in his mind. Hopefully it wouldn't come to that again.

He made his way over to where Will was examining the maps. One of the pirates looked at his toe woefully. His bare feet were frost bitten and blue. When he tried to rub his feet he let out a yelp as his toe came off. Rob nearly vomited over the side of the ship, but instead hurried over to Will's side.

Will was shivering. His eyebrows were frosted over with snow. He looked up as Rob approached. "Where is your coat?" he asked in disbelief.

"In my cabin," Rob shrugged.

"Aren't you cold?"

"Not particularly," he said. "You see… I come from…."

"Wisconsin," Will finished rolling his eyes. "Right. This Wisconsin place must be some sort of icy northern land full of glaciers and tundra and… Vikings."

"Hey!" Rob snapped. "You take that back. The Vikings are to the left… and we're trying to build a wall."

Will stared at Rob for a few moments before he shook his head and returned his attention to the map. "What did you find?" Rob asked.

Will shook his head again. "Nothing here is set. These can't be as accurate as modern charts." Will moved the map and the map seemed to shift.

"No," Tai Huang agreed, "But it leads to more places."

Will peered at the map. There was some sort of riddle written on the map. "Over the edge, over again. Sunrise sets, flash of green."

"Flash of green?" Rob asked. "What the heck does that mean?"

"I don't know though someone on this ship might," Will said.

He scooped up the map and crossed the deck to the helm. Barbosa was reclined against the mast. He looked up at Will and Rob who was standing close behind him. He flashed them a smile. "Gentlemen?"

"We found something," Rob said. Will passed over the map to Barbosa

"Do you care to interpret, Captain Barbossa?" he asked.

Barbosa examined the map before he turned to Gibbs. "Ever gazed upon the green flash Master Gibbs?"

Rob rolled his eyes. "You couldn't just answer the question could you?"

Gibbs turned towards Barbosa, "I reckon I've seen my fair share. Happens on rare occasion, at the last glimpse of sunset a green flash shoots up into the sky. Some go their whole lives without ever seeing it, some claim to have seen it who ain't and some say…"

"It signals when a soul comes back to this world, from the dead!" Gibbs glared at the fellow until Ragetti gazed down at the deck. "Sorry."

Rob was staring at Barbosa. "Back from the dead?" he echoed. Kelsey.

Barbossa handed Will back the maps. "Trust me young Master Turner, it's not getting to the land of the dead that's the problem… it's getting back."


	37. At World's End

**The Great Disney Adventure III: Heroes and Villains**

**A Disney story by talking2myself**

**DISCLAIMER: See Chapter 1**

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **The opening dialogue between Pintel and Raggetti was suggested to me by one of my wonderful and dedicated readers, Dan Man. He is a wonderful writer. Seriously, go read his stuff! It was originally taken from an Abbot and Costello bit.

Let me just say... a lot of people have been awaiting this chapter. Prepare yourselves!

**Chapter. 37 **At World's End

It was evening and the ship was shrouded in darkness. Most of the crew members were snoring while others like Rob, Alice and Emma had emerged from below to take advantage of the relative warmth. Somehow they had gone from the icy seas of the north to warmer climes... though they didn't know where those climes were. The fact that they didn't know where they were didn't set well with most of Tai Huang's crew. In fact, Barbosa seemed to be the only one on the ship who wasn't worried. It seemed as though there was nothing left for the crew to do apart from sit around and fret. Of course, Pintel and Ragetti didn't seem quite as worried as some of the others.

"You know, pirates go by very bizarre names," Ragetti said. "Take that one over there. The one picking his nose. You wanna know his name?"

Pintel rolled his eyes but humored his friend, "What? What's his name?"

Ragetti giggled, "Who." Pintel looked confused, "The name of the bloke you just pointed at."

"Who," Ragetti repeated.

"The one picking his nose," Pintel cried.

"Who." Ragetti cried.

Pintel pointed, "That fellow there!"

Ragetti sighed heavily,"Who is picking his nose!"

Pintel rolled his eyes, "What're you asking me for you idiot?"

Ragetti glared at his companion, "I'm not asking you, I'm telling you!"

"Then _tell _me who's picking his nose!" Pintel snapped.

Ragetti smiled "Exactly."

"Exactly?" Pintel asked.

Ragetti nodded "Exactly."

Pintel scratched his head, "The bloke's name's Exactly?"

Ragetti groaned, "No he's not."

"Then who's picking his nose?" Pintel growled.

"Exactly," Ragetti repeated.

"That's what I just said!" Pintel yelled.

"No you did not!" Ragetti argued.

"Yes I did," Pintel snapped. "So Exactly is picking his nose?"

"No!" Ragetti yelled. "_Who _is picking his nose!"

Pintel stared at Ragetti for a few moments before shaking his head, "You know what? I didn't really care to begin with."

"Actually that's the name of the bloke with three teeth," Ragetti piped.

SMACK! Pintel punched Ragetti until he flopped backwards. Ragetti swatted him back and before they knew it the two pirates were engaged in an all out brawl on the deck. A short distance away, Rob and Alice watched the scene with Emma on top of Rob's lap. shook his head. "I think I felt my IQ drop."

"Now, now," Alice said patting him on the arm.

Behind them, Will made his way over to where Elizabeth stood gazing out at the night sky. Things between the two had not improved since Will and Rob had returned. Rob had made the executive decision to stay out of it. Will gazed at Elizabeth. He let out a sigh before he finally approached her for the first time since they had been reunited. "How long do we continue not talking?" he asked her, a hint of humor in his voice.

Elizabeth sighed, "Once we rescue Jack everything will be fine."

Will frowned as a thousand doubts resurfaced again, "When we rescue _Jack_?"

Sensing that she said the wrong thing, Elizabeth walked away. Will frowned and looked out at the sea. Tia Dalma appeared behind him as if by magic. "For what we want most there is a cost must be paid in the end." She said quietly.

Will was about to chase after Elizabeth when he caught sight of something in the distance. He could hear a faint rumbling sound in the distance. Almost as though thunder was in the distance. Will let out a cry of surprise and ran to the helm to find Barbosa. "Barbosa, ahead!" he cried.

Barbosa grinned, "Aye, we're good and lost now."

Elizabeth halted in her tracks and whirled around, "Lost?" At that moment, the doors to the galley flung open and Sophia appeared.

"Tell me I heard that wrong," Sophia cried.

Barbosa grinned again, "For certain you have to be lost to find a place as can't be found, elseways everyone would know where t'was."

Rob scooped up his cousin and hurried to Will's side. The ship was rocking back and forth wildly. Emma squirmed in his grip but he held her tight.

"We're gaining speed!" Gibbs cried.

"Aye," Barbosa agreed.

Will's entire face blanched before he yelled to the crewmembers. "To stations. All hands to stations! Run a full, hard to port, gather way." The crew members were quickly awoken. They raced around the deck groggy eyed to fulfill his order until Barbosa called out.

"Nay, belay that!" Barbosa yelled. "Let her run straight and true!"

"What's that mean?" Emma asked.

"It means hang on tight and don't ask dumb questions," Rob cried. Rob plopped his cousin on the ground and lifted a rope off the ground. He looped it around her waist before tying her to him. "Hang on kid," he advised. He pulled her close and she clung to his leg.

Ragetti and the rest of the crew looked over the side of the ship and saw what had Will so nervous. Looming in the distance was the largest waterfall that he had ever seen in his life. It seemed to spill off the edge of the world, tumbling into some deep black abyss. "Blimey!" he whispered.

"You've doomed us all." Elizabeth cried as Sophia ran back down below to find Jackie. The ship was speeding up even more. The waterfall was getting closer and closer.

"Don't be so unkind," Barbosa scolded "You may not survive to pass this way again and these be the last friendly words you'll hear." Emma heard Barbosa and wailed in fear.

"Barbosa!" Rob yelled in anger.

"Tie her off!" Will roared to the crew.

"Hard to port!" Elizabeth shrieked. Rob grabbed Alice and Emma and the two clung to a mast. Rob could hear his cousin screaming while Alice nearly crushed all the bones in his hand as she clung to him. The ship swung hard to the portside but Rob could tell it was too late. The

"Hold on!" Will cried. Rob clung to Alice and Emma and screamed as the ship lunged forwards. He could hear Barbosa laughing as they faded into darkness.

-888-

Jack sniffed the air before he tied a napkin neatly around his neck. He looked right and left before stabbing his fork into a peanut positioned on a tin plate. He looked about anxiously before he lifted it to his lips. He froze before he could eat it. A gunshot to his chest had silenced him. As he dropped to the ground, another Jack blew smoke from his pistol. "My peanut." he said as he popped it into his mouth. "All heartily, slacken braces!"he ordered to his crew of Jacks.

"Aye Captain, slacken braces!" another Jack cried.

"Step lively, whether will." another piped.

"Aye aye, right away, sir," another cried.

The Jacks scurried around except for one which lay sprawled on the deck. "Help!" he cried. Though no help came.

"Man the yards, you filthy toads!" the original Jack yelled. Another Jack made a clucking sound and when he walked away an egg lay where he had sat. Above them perched on the masts several Jacks were tending the sails chanting in unison. "Haul! Haul! Haul!"

"Haul the sheets, sensibly boys!" The original Jack called.

"Aye, right away, sir," another responded. Behind him, one of the Jacks inched closer to the ship's goat. The goat looked at him anxiously. At that moment, the original Jack could hear Kelsey approach from the other side of the ship. "What did I tell you about harassing the goat?" He heard her snap. The Jack scampered away. "Jack," she frowned once she caught sight of the original Jack.

"One moment, love," he said holding up a finger. He approached another Jack, "Mr. Sparrow."

"Aye, captain," the other Jack said.

"What say you about the condition of this tack line?" the original Jack demanded.

The other Jack stared at the floor. "It be proper to my eyes, sir."

"Proper?" the original Jack cried.

"Jack…" Kelsey warned. "Don't be so hard on yourself."

"It is neither proper nor suitable, sir," the original Jack roared. "It is not acceptable nor adequate. It is, in obvious fact, an abomination." Kelsey pressed her face into her hand.

"Begging your pardon sir, but perhaps if you gave a man another chance…"

"Shall I?" the original Jack snapped. He yanked out his sword and stabbed it into the other Jack's chest.

"Jack!" Kelsey yelled. "You're making Sophia look friendly."

"That sort of thinking got us into this mess," Jack said to the other Jack as he wiped his sword on the side of the deck. "We have lost speed, and therefore time, precious time, which cannot be recovered once lost."

"We're not going anywhere, Jack," Kelsey yelled. "We've been beached! All we have is time."

"Do you understand?" the original Jack roared to his crew.

"Aye, captain" the multiple Jacks chimed in.

"Do you now? It will all have to be redone. All of it! And let this serve as a lesson to the lot of you. Doldrums, sir. Has the entire crew on edge. I have no sympathy for any of you feculent maggots and no more patience to pretend otherwise."

"They're gone again, Jack," Kelsey pointed out the empty deck. All of the Jacks had vanished, though it was hard to say whether they were ever there to begin with. But Jack ignored her.

The original Jack jumped up onto the side of the ship. He gripped a rope that dangled from one of the upper masts and gripped it in one hand. "Gentlemen, I wash my hands of this weirdness," he said.

He landed lightly on the ground and held up a finger to test for wind. "No wind," he said before shaking his head in self-disgust, "Course there's no bloody wind! My soul I do swear for a breeze, gust, whisper, tiny miniature lick…" He froze suddenly and sniffed the air before he whirled around. He let out a yelp when he saw a set of blue eyes directly behind him. He let out a yelp of surprise.

"Honestly Jack are you part bloodhound now?" Kelsey cried. "Sniffing the air all of the time?"

"How did you get down here?" Jack cried.

Kelsey sighed. "I could tell you but would you really care?"

"No, not particularly," Jack said dismissively. Kelsey rolled her eyes. Jack walked past her, focusing on something on the ground. It was a rock. A round white rock. He lifted it up and examined for a few seconds before chucking it away. He frowned and walked away muttering to himself. "Yes yes I know, but why, why would he do that? Because he's a lummox, isn't he? Well, we shall have a magnificent garden party and you're not invited!" Jack suddenly froze and turned around slowly. The rock had materialized behind him. "Shoo." he ordered waving his hands.

"You tell that rock, Jack," Kelsey scoffed.

Jack turned away from the stone only to turn back suddenly. The rock didn't move. To no one's great surprise. He picked up the rock and examined it again. "Rock." he said to himself. He stared at it before doing something odd.. Even for him. He licked the rock, looked disgusted and threw it away again.

"Jack, you have no idea where that's been," Kelsey scolded. Jack was staring at the rock again. "It's finally happened," Kelsey groaned. "He's completely lost it. I should start sewing a strait jacket out of sails." At that moment, the white rock sprouted legs. It wasn't a rock at all. It was a white crab. He watched it scuttle away.

"Now we're being followed by rocks," Jack cried. "Never heard that before." At that moment he caught sight of the rope he had used to climb down. "Oh, a rope!"

A few moments later, Kelsey sat cross-legged a short distance away resting her elbow on her knee and her cheek on her fist as she watched Jack try to drag The Black Pearl across the sand. Kelsey shook her head. The crab sat besides her watching with mild interest before Jack collapsed backwards at her side.

That's when she noticed something. There were many white rocks surrounding them. White rocks that hadn't been there moments earlier. Crabs. "Jack…" she cried anxiously as she scrambled to her feet. The crabs casually scuttled around the two of them. Kelsey leapt to her feet while Jack lay prone on the ground. The crabs seemed to surround The Pearl, launching themselves under and around it. Kelsey's jaw hung open. "Jack… you're gonna want to see this!" she cried.

Jack awkwardly sat up and stared at the ship. The crabs were moving it! For a few moments the two of them sat there Both with dumfounded and rather slack jawed expressions) before they rose to their feet and chased after the Pearl.

-888-

When Rob opened his eyes, he was sprawled on some strange beach. He coughed up salt water and spat out a mouthful of sand. "Emma?" he cried. Emma lay there besides him still tied to his waist. "Emma," he sighed with relief once she lifted her head. She shook her head, her limp pigtails swatting back and forth. She made a rough coughing sound and spat out a mouthful of water. At that moment, Emma's pointed straw hat floated up onto the beach. Inside it was Tinker Bell. Tink shook her wet wings before zooming over to Emma's shoulder.

"I think I swallowed The Ocean," Emma mumbled.

Rob smiled with relief. "Really? The entire Ocean?" He gave her a thump on her back and she coughed up more saltwater. "You okay Allie?" he asked

"I think so," Alice said. "But I'm so dizzy." Jackie lifted her head besides Alice. She pulled a strand of seaweed from her hair and tossed it aside.

"I c-c-can't see a thing," Jackie said looking around. Alice reached up to her face and swiped the diamond shaped glasses from her face and placed them back on Jackie's. "Oh," Jackie laughed sheepishly. "M-m-much better."

"This truly is a God forsaken place," Gibbs said as he rose stiffly to his feet. The other crew members were coming ashore shaking water from their clothes and looking around the new beach.

"I don't see Jack," Elizabeth cried. "I don't see anyone." Rob frowned and looked around anxiously.

"He's here," Barbosa declared. "Davy Jones never once gave up that what he took."

"Jack might be the exception," Sophia said as she wrung out her skirts. "Who would _want _to keep Jack?"

"And does it matter?" Will snapped angrily. "We're trapped here by your doing, no different of Jack." At that moment, a white crab scattered over to Tia Dalma. She picked it up and stroked its back affectionately. "Witty Jack is closer than you tink," she smiled.

"Rob!" Emma cried tugging on his hand. "Look!" she cried. Rob stared for a few moments in disbelief. The Black Pearl was coming towards them. The ship rose up over the sand before it was lightly tossed into the sea.

"Are those crabs?" Alice asked.

"Impossible!" Tai Huang cried.

Ragetti pointed in disbelief, "Boat." he stammered. Suddenly, a figure emerged from the distance. The swaggering posture was unmistakable. It was Jack Sparrow back from the dead.

"Slap me thrice and hand me to me momma! It's Jack!" Gibbs cried. Rob wanted to spring forwards and hug the crusty old pirate, but something about the way he was walking made him halt. The crew cried out happily and raced towards Jack who was striding towards them as though he didn't realize that he was walking in the middle of Davey Jones' locker. It seemed like he was in some sort of daze... and he looked angry It wasn't the reaction that Rob had been expecting.

"Jack!" Emma cried happily, running forwards to embrace Jack. She forgot about the rope tying her to Rob and fell backwards once the rope was taut. Rob gazed at Jack suspiciously. "One moment, Em," Rob said. "I think there's something wrong with him... more than usual."

"Mr. Gibbs!" Jack snapped.

"Aye cap'n," Gibbs smiled oblivious to Rob's concerns.

"I thought so," Jack snapped. "I expect you're able to account for your actions then."

"Sir?" Gibbs asked in confusion.

"There's been a perpetual and virulent lack of discipline upon my vessel," Jack snapped. Gibbs and Rob exchanged confused glances. "Why? Why is that sir?" Jack demanded.

"Sir, you're... you're in Davy Jones Locker, cap'n," Gibbs explained.

Jack looked about in confusion. "You know..." Rob said gently. "Disney purgatory?"

"I know that." Jack said suddenly.

"No you didn't," he heard Kelsey's voice behind him.

"I know where I am." Jack piped. He turned and glared at her. "And don't think I don't!"

"He's lost his mind," Rob muttered, keeping his hands on Emma's shoulders.

Barbosa, however, didn't have any issues taunting the confused pirate. He stepped forwards with a smile, "Jack Sparrow."

"Ah, Hector!" Jack grinned swaggering towards him. "It's been too long, hasn't it?"

"Aye. Isla de Muerta, remember? You shot me." Barbosa snapped

"No I didn't," he retorted before moving along. "Tia Dalma! Out and about, eh? You add an agreeable sense of macabre to any delirium." Tia Dalma smiled at him.

Will shook his head, "He thinks we're a hallucination."

Jack looked over at Will. "William, tell me something. Have you come because you need my help to save a certain distressing damsel, rather, damsel in distress? Either one."

Will thought for a moment. Kelsey would never forgive him for considering her a "Distressing damsel" "No." he said at last.

"Well then you wouldn't be here would you? So you can't be here. QED, you're not really here," Jack cried.

Elizabeth pushed her way to his side. "Jack. This is real, we're here."

Jack stared at them in confusion for a few moments before he turned to Gibbs. "The Locker? You say?" he asked.

"Aye sir," Gibbs said.

"Jack," Rob finally managed to interrupt. "I'm really happy to see you, but we need you to focus. Where's Kelsey?"

"Where's Kelsey?" Jack cried aghast. "Where's Kelsey?" He turned towards Kelsey who stood a few paces behind him. "I always thought you were exaggerating about his lack of sense. I was so wrong to doubt you." Kelsey shrugged.

"Jack who are you talking to?" Will asked, his brow furrowed in concern.

"I don't care," Rob cried. Panic was slowly beginning to enter his voice. "Seriously, where's my sister?"

"Seriously she's right there," Jack snapped. "Are you blind _and_ daft?" He pointed to where Kelsey stood a short distance away.

"Jack…" Will said slowly. "There's no one there."

"What… what do you…?" Jack glanced over his shoulder at Kelsey. She smiled sadly and waved at him. Suddenly, it all made sense to Jack. Why there was only one Kelsey. Why he was the only one who talked to Kelsey. Why no one else could see her.

Kelsey wasn't really there.

"Love," he cried. "After all we've been through You didn't have the decency to tell me that you're a hallucination?"

The hallucination shrugged. "Sorry Jack," she said. "I honestly thought you would have figured it out. I mean there was only one of me and hundreds of you?"

"So…" Jack said. "If you're only a figment of my imagination… where's the real Kelsey?"

"Sorry," the hallucination said. "But if you don't know… there's no way I could know." A few moments later, she vanished. And Jack was once again left without Kelsey.

"But... but... why?" Jack asked. "Why would I imagine you?"

"I guess you needed something to hold on to, to keep you sane?" "Kelsey" said. "Well... relatively speaking anyway. Sorry Jack." She smiled sadly before she faded away. Jack stood there staring at the hallucination as though she would reappear again and the rest of them would suddenly see her. As though this were some trick. Some magic from The Book?"

But Jack knew in his heart what was true. Kelsey had never been with him. She was gone.

* * *

**ADDITIONAL AUTHOR'S NOTE**: Due to the content of this chapter, the author of this fan fiction has entered witness protection to avoid mobs of angry readers. She requests that you please remember all of the good friendly, funny chapters she has written before you get the angry mob together :D


	38. What Now?

**The Great Disney Adventure III: Heroes and Villains**

**A Disney story by talking2myself**

**DISCLAIMER: See Chapter 1**

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **Good news everyone! (read in Dr. Farnsworth voice for full effect) I'm not dead. The response to the previous chapter has mercifully been largely positive. Thought there is an army being raised and I'm pretty sure spies have been dispatched. But other than that things are great! Thanks guys! J

**Chapter. 38 What Now?**

Jack finally stopped talking and then stared a head. "She's not here," he said at last "She never was here."

For a few moments it felt as though the world had sped up quickly only to come to screeching halt and the momentum had struck Rob hard. "What?" he whispered. "What… but _you're _here. She has to be here somewhere."

"She's not," Jack said. His voice sounded as though he were in a daze or had awoken from some sort of dream. "I'm sorry." he said softly.

"What do you mean?" Rob repeated. "You're here. She should be here. She HAS to be here!"

Will frowned and tried to reach out a hand for Rob's shoulder. Rob flung him off and ran out across the sand. "Rob!" Will cried after him. Jack stared after Rob as though debating whether Rob was real or another more energetic hallucination. The pirate still appeared as though he had been drugged or was still drunk.

Will shoved Jack out of the way and chased after Rob. He slid down a dune where Rob stood gazing around the beach. Will frowned. This place was an island. A very small island, even smaller than the island that Jack had been marooned on all those years ago. There was no where else for Kelsey to be. She wasn't here. It felt as though a heavy stone had been dropped into the pit of his stomach.

"Rob?" he said gently.

"She's gone," Rob whispered. "She's gone! She's really gone."

"We'll.. we'll keep looking," Will said.

Rob whirled around. "What's the point?" he demanded. He met Will's eyes directly. "Do you think she's still alive." Will hesitated and in that moment Rob had his answer. "You don't think she's alive," he repeated. Will didn't say anything. "She's dead," Rob whispered. It was the first time he had said those words aloud. Rob dropped to his knees, shaking his head. "She's dead." he repeated to himself.

Will dropped besides Rob and pulled Rob into his arms. Rob buried his face into Will's shoulder. As Will held him he could feel Rob shaking. For a several long moments, the two of them remained there as Rob let out every emotion that he had been pushing away since Kelsey had died.

-888-

Jack cocked his head to one side examining the new group. "I can understand why I'd hallucinate some people. But why would I hallucinate you of all people?" he said to Barbosa.

Barbosa glared at Jack. All felt as though they should chase after Will and Rob but no one knew what to say to the boy. Emma was clutching Alice and Jackie's hands as she stared up at them through watery eyes. No one knew what to say to her either. They just waited… tensely.

"You wouldn't." Barbosa snapped. "Which should be proof enough that I'm real."

"Bah," Jack said dismissively, "It's been a good long time since I've had a proper bottle of rum. You could be a symptom of withdrawl."

Elizabeth pushed her way through, "Jack. This is real, we're here.

Jack stared at her and shook his head as though noticing her for the first time. He jumped away from her and hurried to Gibbs' side.

"The Locker, you say?" he asked.

"Aye," Gibbs said.

At that moment, Will and Rob had come back. Will had a gentle hand on Rob's shoulder. It seemed as though he was offering support but at the same time was guiding Rob and keeping him upright.

"Master Hatter," Barbosa said grimly. "We've received a small… very small consolation prize of finding Jack alive, but there's very little more we can do here." Rob squeezed his eyes shut tight for a moment, but nodded. Will shot a glare at Barbosa. "I think I speak for all of us here when I ask this," Barbosa said. "What now?"

Rob frowned. "I'm not sure."

There was a long silence before Will finally spoke. "You should go back." he said softly.

"What?!" Rob nearly screamed.

"We've already lost your sister. It's obviously dangerous here for you and Emma."

"I'm not going!" Emma cried. She crossed her arms. "Not without Kelsey."

"Me neither," Rob said. "I appreciate your concern, Will. But we were all brought here for some reason. Me, Kelsey, Emma… and even Aaron." Aaron made a scoffing sound that earned a swat to the back of the head from Sophia. "Until I figure out why I'm not leaving," Rob said. "Besides if Kelsey were alive she would never run away until The Thirteen was crying at her feet."

"Yeah," Emma said stubbornly. "And we still have to find Kelsey!"

There seemed to be a silent sigh from the entire group. Emma wasn't going to be persuaded otherwise any time soon and everyone was too emotionally exhausted to try.

"Very well then," Barbosa said. "Though that still doesn't answer the question. What now?"

"That would be MY decision," Jack interrupted, starting to come out of his daze.

Elizabeth looked at him in confusion, "We've come to rescue you!"

Jack glared at her. "Have you now? That's very kind of you. But it would seem that as I possess a ship and you don't, you're the ones in need of rescuing, and I'm not sure as I'm in the mood." Will pressed his forehead into his hand. He felt a headache coming on.

"I see my ship," Barbosa smirked. He pointed at the Pearl "Right there."

Jack peered out in the distance. "Can't spot it. Must be a tiny little thing hiding somewhere behind the Pearl."

"Jack!" Will interrupted. He released Rob's shoulder and made his way to Jack's side. "The Thirteen is still alive and well. They're taking over the Kingdom and Cutler Beckett has the heart of Davy Jones. He controls the Flying Dutchman."

"He's taking over the seas!" Elizabeth said.

"The song has already been sung, the Brethren Court is called," Tia Dalma said quietly.

" Leave you people alone for just a minute, look what happens, everything's gone to pot!" Jack cried.

"Aye, Jack," Gibbs agreed. "The world needs you back somethin' fierce."

"Debatable," Sophia muttered.

"And you need a crew," Will added.

Jack seemed to think for a moment before whirling around angrily. "Why should I sail with any of you? Four of you have tried to kill me in the past…" he leaned in closer. "One of you succeeded."

Rob's jaw dropped. Will whirled around to look at Elizabeth. His face was a mask of shock and hurt. Elizabeth stammered unable to find anything to say.

"Oh, she's not told you? You'll have loads to talk about while you're here," Jack said. He glared at Tia Dalma, "As for you…"

Tia Dalma grinned, "Now, don't tell me you didn't enjoy it at the time."

Jack shrugged, "Fair enough, all right, you're in." He turned to Ragetti "Don't need you, you scare me." Ragetti frowned as Jack continued along the line. "Gibbs, you can come, Marty, Cotton. Cotton's parrot I'm a little iffy, but at least I'll have someone to talk to." Jack came to a halt as he stared at Tai Huang. "Who are you?"

"Tai Huang," he said. "These are my men."

"Where do your allegiances lie?" Jack asked.

"With the highest bidder."

Jack shrugged, "I have a ship."

"That makes you the highest bidder."

Jack nodded. "Good man." He turned to his crew. "Weigh anchor, all hands, prepare to make sail. Now if I had my compass I could…"

"Oh," Emma said guiltily. "This compass?"

Jack's mouth hung open. "You little imp. Hand it over."

"Nuh uh," Emma said stubbornly. She clutched it tightly in her little hands. "We'll call it…" she turned to Rob. "What is it? Big word starts with an L."

"Leverage," Rob sighed.

"Yeah that!" she cried. "Just to make sure that you behave yourself."

"Fine," Jack grumbled. "Though… how are we supposed to get out of here then?"

Barbosa grinned, "Jack... Which way you going, Jack?" He patted the charts.

-888-

Captain Hook's ship the Jolly Roger was sailing around in circles. The captain had been shanghaied into ferrying Dr. Facilier out on a mad chase for Rob and his companions. After following reports from Singapore ( both official and unofficial) they had sailed out in the direction of the Hai Peng. But after several days of sailing, they saw nothing. Not so much as a ship.

On board, the captain, his crew and the special thirteen members aboard were getting more than a little frustrated. In the captain's private quarters, Dr. Facilier, Mim, and Khaos had been called in for some news. Khaos seemed to be the only one who seemed unconcerned. He had his wooden chair reclined back on its back legs. His boots propped up on the wooden table before them. The rest of them were tensely staring at the pirate who stood in front of them.

"Tell me what you saw again, Mr. Smee," Captain Hook said.

"A flash, Captain," Mr. Smee insisted wildly. "A green flash off on the horizon."

"Were you perhaps hitting the grog a little too hard, Mr. Smee?" Captain Hook demanded.

"N-n-no sir," Mr. Smee swore. "I was sober as a judge! I swear."

Captain Hook sighed. "What do you think?"

"I think it's the only thing that could explain how an entire ship disappeared," Khaos said casually.

"It's indeed curious," Dr. Facilier agreed. "But I believe I have a little more knowledge on this phenomenon than you, Hook. A green flash often signifies a being moving to the other side."

"Like your friends for example?" Mim asked.

"Exactly," Dr. Facilier said.

"So how did they make it to the other side?" Captain Hook asked.

"That's something of a mystery," Dr. Facillier frowned. "But it's the only lead we have."

Captain Hook sighed. "Very well then. I shall alert the crew and inform them that we are to go chasing after mysterious green flashes." He rose to his feet and left his quarters, Smee chasing after him.

Khaos grinned at the other two. "Honestly, why so grim?" he said. "We have a lead. This is a good thing."

"It's not reliable," Mim scowled.

Khaos rolled his eyes. He sat up in his chair. He picked up a bottle of grog that sat on the table and poured himself a glass. "Fine. In order to cheer up your spirits how about we discuss our future plans? For after Rob and his companions are gone. What next?" He passed the goblet of grog over to Dr. Facilier.

"Khaos does have a point," Mim said. She sipped delicately at the goblet Khaos slid across the table to her. "What is the grand scheme?"

"They plan to release Chernabog from his slumber," Dr. Facilier said. "And use him to take over the kingdom.

Mim spat out a mouthful of grog and began to choke. "They want to WHAT? But… that was attempted before? It failed. Miserably! It was terrible."

"Now Mim…" Dr. Facilier sighed.

"I was THERE," Mim roared. "It destroyed half the members of the Wizard Circle. If Yen Sid hadn't done… whatever he did. The entire place would have been destroyed. And Melly…" Mim crossed her arms and flopped back onto her chair. "Melly should know better."

"It will be different this time," Dr. Facilier insisted. "We have more power. More sorcerers. A demi-god and The Book of Songs. We won't lose control.

Khaos seemed to be listening like a child hearing a bedtime story. "Interesting…" he grinned.

"It will be fine this time, Mim," Dr. Facilier insisted. "We will be victorious."

Mim pursed her lips. She didn't say anything but she did not look convinced.

-888-

"Trim that sail!" Barbosa ordered.

"Trim that sail!" Jack yelled as well.

"Slack windward brace and sheet!"

"Slack windward brace and sheet!"

"Haul a pennant line!"

"Haul a pennant line!"

Emma turned to Sophia as they made their way into the Pearl. "Is there an echo in here?"

"No," Sophia sighed, lifting the girl aboard "Just two idiots fighting over a ship."

"What are you doing?" Barbosa demanded.

"What are _you _doing?" Jack retorted.

"No, what arrrr ya doin'?" Barbosa repeated.

"What are _you _doing?"

"No, what arrrrrrr ya doin'?"

Rob shook his head. He slipped down the hallway to the cabin he had called his room. He thought this place would feel like home, but it didn't. Not without Kelsey. Alice silently chased after him.

"What are you doing? Captain gives orders on a ship," Jack snapped.

Barbossa scowled, "The captain of this ship _is _giving orders."

"My ship." Jack snapped. "Makes me captain.

"They be my charts!" Barbosa countered.

"That makes you... chart man!"

"Isn't Rob the captain?" Emma asked.

"NO!" the two pirates yelled at her. Emma's lip quivered and Sophia shot a glare at them.

"Stop it, the both of you!" somebody hollered suddenly. "That's an order! Understand!"

Everyone on the ship seemed to stop and stare at Pintel who was hollering at the two men. "That. Is the first practical thing I've heard all day," Sophia said. "And it came from Pintel?"

Pintel grinned sheepishly. "Sorry, I just thought, with the captain issuing out I'd throw in my name for consideration. Sorry!" He immediately backed away from the two men.

As he fell back in line Ragetti whispered to him, "I'd vote for you."

Sophia shook her head. "Something tells me that this is going to be a very long trip back to the surface."


	39. Enough

**The Great Disney Adventure III: Heroes and Villains**

**A Disney story by talking2myself**

**DISCLAIMER: See Chapter 1**

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **I'm cursed! Seriously, did I cut off a witch on the highway or something? Anyway, my car went belly-up and I've spent all last week making phone calls to figure out to get it fixed. So that's why this chapter is late.

**Chapter. 39 Enough**

The loud thumping sound that rattled against Khaos' cabin door could wake the dead and it certainly woke up Khaos. Khaos groaned and slipped from his hammock. The Jolly Roger was still spinning around in circles. Khaos grew tired of the dullness on deck and had tried to sneak down below to catch some sleep. He tugged the edges of a wall blanket closer around his shoulders as he shuffled across the floor. They had sailed into icy waters and everyone was cold. Khaos debated whether he could climb back into the hammock and pretend to be asleep. Maybe they would go away? Instead, the thumping grew louder and louder. Khaos rolled his eyes and groaned.

"Open this door this instant lazy bones!" Mim's voice screeched on the other side of the door. Khaos muttered under his breath. He pushed the door open and Mim bulled her way into the small cabin. "Close the door," she ordered.

"I don't recall inviting you into my cabin," Khaos grumbled as he pulled the door shut behind her. Not because she had told him to but to keep the relative warmth of the room inside. Mim was wrapped up in a wool blanket as well. She shook her head and icicles flung every which way from her purple hair. "Hey," Khaos cried shielding his face with his arm. "I just got warm." he whined.

"You're gonna get a lot colder if we stay around here," Mim snapped. "The type of cold you can only find inside a grave."

Khaos scratched his head. His dark purple hair was still tangled from sleep. "You lost me."

"We need to bail," Mim said.

"What?" Khaos' melodic voice was suddenly harsh and angry. "Are you mad?"

"Yes," Mim said simply. "_Mad _Madam Mim. But Mad and suicidal are two entirely different things." She crossed her arms. "We need to bail," she repeated.

Khaos's dark violet eyes locked on Mim's. "We have a plan, Mim."

"The plan has changed," Mim said. She sat on the rope hammock. "They're tampering with dangerous forces and if we want to survive we need to get out of here."

"I thought you _wanted_ to join the Thirteen," Khaos stated. "More than anything if I recall correctly."

"That was before I realized what a fool Melly is," Mim said. "I never thought she would do something so... stupid! She was there. She saw the same things I saw and yet..."

"You woke me for this?" Khaos scowled.

Mim glared at him before cutting to the chase, "If we stay here we're sure to die."

Khaos shoulders slumped, the blanket slipping further."If this is about Chernabog…"

"Of course it's about Chernabog!" Mim roared leaping to her feet. "It would be insanity to stay. Do you know anything about the Old Wizard's Circle? Do you know what happened to the usurpers?"

"I know plenty about the Circle," Khaos snapped. "I have my sources."

"Were your sources there?" Mim demanded. "Did they see ghosts rise from the dead only to be beaten down? Did they see Chernabog's mighty wings spread out against the night sky? Did they see all the wizards who tried to summon up the creature disintegrate into dust? Well did they?"

"Mim," Khaos said evenly, though his voice was strained as though he was struggling to remain patient. He pulled the blanket up again. "Do you even remember the plan? Like… the part about revenge?"

"No revenge is worth taking on that monster," Mim said.

"We won't _have _to," Khaos said. "We want revenge. We'll never let them accomplish their plan for the simple reason that it's _their_ plan."

"You can't stop them," Mim pointed out. "Even with that book." She pointed to The Book of Songs which sat underneath Khaos' hammock. It was never far from Khaos' sight. "They outnumber you. And I imagine they wouldn't hesitate to wipe you out if they suspected anything about our plans."

"Oh ye of little faith," Khaos said distractedly. "How about this? If it gets dangerous we'll bail. We'll run like cowards with our tails between our legs at the first sight of real Chernabog-related danger. Until then, we stick with the plan. Chaos and revenge all the way."

Mim shook her head at Khaos in disbelief. "Fine," she grumbled. "But if I'm anxious about anything in the near future… I'm gone. With or without you." Khaos frowned. The little witch was spooked. She was a royal pain, but Khaos still needed her.

_What is it about this creature that could have her so afraid?_

-888-

While the issue of the captaincy was being settled by the two gentlemen on deck, the others were left to their own devices. Emma stood close to Jack, keeping a close eye on him with Tinker Bell perched on her shoulder. Even a child knew that Jack was not someone to be completely trusted. Jack was busy murmuring to the air at his right side.

"Yes, I knew that she was an illusion. But thanks for telling me by the way." Jack yelled at the air. "See if I ever help you."

Tinker Bell jingled something into Emma's ear.

"He's talking to his imaginary friends. Try to ignore him," Emma said dismissively as she swiped the compass from Jack's pocket. "Ah. Leverage," she grinned as she plopped next to Jack and watched the needle spin.

Rob had silently slipped back to the cabin that he shared with Will. He hadn't spoken for a long time. Alice knocked on the wooden door. "Rob?" she whispered. "Rob… please.. Are you alright?"

"Go away, Alice." Rob cried on the other side.

"But…"

"Go," he cried.

Alice sighed. "Okay… if you need anything."

"GO!" he yelled, his voice breaking.

Alice frowned. She leaned against the door and slid down to the floor. She rested against the door and listened inside for Rob to call her back. But she didn't go anywhere.

Sophia was taking stock of their provisions with Jackie who followed behind her with a piece of parchment and a quill. Sophia frowned. "We'll all lose ten pounds by the time we get back to the surface." She surveyed Jackie. "You don't have ten pounds to lose. Better find some other stuff. Keep your eyes peeled for anything that looks edible."

While everyone else settled into the place they once called home, Will followed Elizabeth below. Elizabeth whirled around in surprise. Will stood there, looking at her as though he had never seen her before.

"You left Jack to the Kraken," Will said.

Elizabeth frowned, "He's rescued now. It's done with."

"And Kelsey's dead," Will said coldly, his voice trembling.

"I honestly didn't think…" Elizabeth stammered. "I didn't think she would go back for him."

"But she did," Will said.

"Will, I had no choice," Elizabeth insisted helplessly.

"You chose not to tell me," Will said.

"I couldn't," Elizabeth said. "It wasn't your burden to bear."

Will frowned, "But I did bear it, didn't I? I'm still bearing it. I just didn't know what it was. I thought…" Will trailed off.

"You thought I loved him," Elizabeth said quietly.

"Can you blame me?" Will snapped. "After all it's not the first time you've done something like this."

"Will that's not fair," Elizabeth yelled angrily. "Every time I've shown any sort of affection towards him it was for you…"

"Oh so I should be thankful that you're constantly flirting with him?" Will snapped. "Who is it you love? Me or Jack?"

"No," Elizabeth cried. "Will, you don't understand!"

"Then, make me understand!" Will roared suddenly. Elizabeth stared at him. He drew a shaky breath and dragged a sleeve across his eyes. Elizabeth reached out and clasped his hands.

"I don't love Jack," Elizabeth said.

Will shook her hands away. "Of course not. At least not anymore, you tried to kill him."

"Please Will," she pleaded. "I did what I thought was right. I wasn't trying to kill Kelsey."

"No just Jack," Will snapped. "What am I supposed to do? You tried to kill _Jack_! And you succeeded!"

"I did it for you, Will," she cried. "I did it for us. Do you think I wanted to? I love you."

"Do you?" Will demanded. "Killing off my friends is a strange way of expressing your love."

"Will…" Elizabeth desperately grasped for words that would make this better. She couldn't find any.

"Enough," Will finally said. He sounded so tired. "Enough." he repeated. "Elizabeth… what happened to you?"

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"I mean you've hurt me more times than Jack or Kelsey or Barbosa combined," he cried. "Enough!" Elizabeth stared at him, shocked by the raw hurt in his voice. Will found that he couldn't look at her anymore. He turned away leaning against the wall. "Perhaps… perhaps there was a reason why our wedding was never completed."

A long stretch of silence followed before Elizabeth finally found her voice. "So… that's it?" Elizabeth stammered. "That's all?"

Will drew a deep breath and turned towards Elizabeth again. "If you make your choices alone, how can I trust you?"

Elizabeth's eyes were brimming with tears. "You can't." She fled from Will before he could see the tears in her eyes fall.

-888-

When Rob opened the door nearly an hour later. Alice toppled backwards onto the floor. "Alice!" Rob cried in surprise.

Alice sat up. "Goodness," she cried. "You startled me."

"What are you doing here?" Rob asked. "I thought I told you to go away."

"You did," Alice admitted. "But you shouldn't be alone." She rose to her feet and smoothed her skirts before meeting Rob's eyes. "You should never be alone."

"Oh Allie," he sighed. The use of her nickname made Alice's eyes sparkle. Rob slipped his arms around her. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be," she said gently.

"I was a jerk."

"No, you were grieving." Alice said. "And it's over now."

Rob let his head rest against her shoulder. "This isn't right. None of this is."

"No,"Alice sighed. "It's all wrong. Especially for a Disney world." She clasped his face in her hands. "We have to be strong," Alice said. A small sad smile stretched across her face. "Kelsey would slap you silly if you gave up." Rob's lips quirked up in a small smile. Alice clasped his hands. "Come on." she said. "Sophia made dinner."

Dinner turned out to be a generous term for what Sophia had made. The godmother was working with limited means but had managed to put together a lumpy sort of porridge. Emma poked at the porridge with her spoon but mostly pushed it around on her plate in an effort to make it look as though she had eaten some. She took a few bites and grimaced at the taste. The others ate but with no real vigor. Will and Elizabeth sat on opposite ends of the table. Will had barely touched his food before he pushed his chair out and muttered something about a headache. Elizabeth didn't say a word, but she frowned and stirred her porridge.

Rob spent the remainder of the night with Alice and Emma. They lay on the deck watching the stars until Rob carried a sleeping Emma to the little hammock where she slept. She used to sleep in a cabin with Kelsey but to make her sleep there now would only be cruel. Instead they hung the hammock besides Jackie and Alice's. Rob tucked her in as best as he could. He kissed Alice on the cheek and nodded a goodnight to Jackie before making his way back to his own cabin.

Will was already asleep by the time he opened the cabin door. He slowly crept into the cabin. Will was lying in his hammock with one arm slung up over his eyes and the other arm dangled over the side of the hammock. He hadn't even removed his boots. Rob frowned. He quietly made his way over to Will and tugged off his boots and lowered the man's arms to his sides so he wouldn't wake with a crick in his neck. Will looked very pale and his brow was furrowed even as he slept. Rob feared that he was ill. That his headache had gotten worse. He tugged Will's blanket up over the sleeping man and prayed that he would be alright by morning.

He crawled into his own hammock and tugged his own blanket up over himself. Will moaned and rolled over in his sleep. Rob bolted upright and watched Will. He had rolled over onto his side turning away from Rob so he couldn't see his face. Rob watched his friend for a while. When Will was still quietly sleeping Rob layed back down and as he did, he pulled the sparkling Josh Groban CD out from underneath his captain's coat.

_We're falling apart without you, Kelsey. How are we going to make it?_

It took Rob a very long time to fall asleep.

* * *

**ADDITIONAL AUTHOR'S NOTE:** This chapter helps me get over a big pet peeve in POTC 3. I was kinda mad at Elizabeth and felt she got off pretty easy for you know KILLING their frenemy Jack Sparrow. That and the weird chemistry that they had between Elizabeth and Jack annoyed me especially since Will was devoted to her.


	40. At Peace

**The Great Disney Adventure III: Heroes and Villains**

**A Disney story by talking2myself**

**DISCLAIMER: See Chapter 1**

**Chapter. 40 At Peace**

"Alright everybody class is in session," Rob announced. Rob had assembled everyone into the galley for a meeting that was urgently needed. Part of it was needed because they needed some sort of focus. It had been so long since they had focused on their mission and not searching out for Kelsey. All of them needed to find a way to move on without her. Or at least to remember how to plan without her.

And all of them needed a distraction. Things had been relatively peaceful at first. Everyone was grateful to see The Black Pearl again. The rickety old ship had been their home for so many days and everyone was eager to settle back into their old cabins again. Emma needed to not think about Kelsey. She needed to stop staring at the compass… and stop swiping it from Jack. Jack needed to snap out of whatever daze he was in. He was searching the decks for some sort of peanut and no one could understand why. And Will and Elizabeth… well they needed to do something other than not speak to each other.

Plus there was one other huge problem. They were nearly out of food and water. There was no water to be found in Davy Jones' locker. It seemed as though Jack didn't need to eat or drink while he was there. There was nothing. No edible plants. No fresh water. No fish or game or shrimp. It seemed as though the only scrap of food left was the peanut that Jack spent so much time searching for.

Rob wasn't as scared about the food. There were still a few scraps left and Sophia could make a pile of sawdust taste gourmet if she had a mind to. But their water supply was getting desperately low. In fact everyone apart from Emma had been forced to drink the rum and grog that they had left because there was so little water. Jack was pleased with this situation but not many others.

Rob had pinned a large piece of parchment up against the wall with two daggers. In one long column he had written the names of the Thirteen. "This is just a review for when we get back to the surface about what we're up against and…" Rob paused and sighed. Emma had raised her hand. "Emma."

"Is this gonna be on a test later?" Emma asked. Aaron sniggered.

"No," Rob sighed. "Put your hand down." He returned to the parchment. "We started out with thirteen pains in the butt. Due to pointy objects and career changes thanks to the idiot in the corner…" he shot a glare towards Aaron. "They're down to eleven… assuming that they haven't been replaced yet. Due to Kelsey's finagling we were able to gain the support of the princesses and their princes. So we have the good guys for Maleficent, Jafar and Gaston." He wrote down their names next to the villains with a large ink quill that he had swiped from Jack's desk. "Also…" Rob said. "Kelsey was able to talk Hercules into helping us and we decided that the Dalmatians are not going to be much of a help." Rob wrote Hercules' name across from Hades. "Assuming that Meg hasn't gotten him killed somehow this is a good person to have on our side for obvious reasons." Rob turned to face his crew again.

"While we were in China Will and I made friends with Mulan. I nominate her to kick Cruella's butt. Quite frankly, I would pay to see it," Rob turned and wrote down her name across from Cruella. He was sure that Kelsey would admire the poetic justice of the tomboy beating the fashionista. He hoped that Kelsey could see it, wherever she was.

"So…" Rob said counting a quick tally. "That leaves six villains unaccounted for. Yzma, Kronk, Hook, Scar, Rourke, and Randall. We're halfway there."

"You say that like it's a good thing," Aaron grumbled.

"Pipe down half-empty," Rob scowled. "The good news is from what I can glean from Will and Jack. Kelsey has people who owe her in Atlantis and Monstropolis. And we also have a glowing looking ally floating above Emma's head."

"GET IT OFF!" Emma screamed flailing her arms.

"I meant Tinker Bell Emma," Rob sighed. Tink made an angry chiming noise and Emma looked sheepish.

"Heh heh," she smiled. "Sorry Tink." Tink settled back onto the top of Emma's head. Her arms crossed.

"Anyway," Rob continued. "The current plan is to follow Kelsey's original thought. We're heading to Peru to meet with Emperor Kuzco. Maybe we'll find someway to take out Yzma… and Kronk."

"How hard could it be?" Sophia asked. "The woman is ancient... and Kronk is an idot."

"But she has a lot of magic on her side," Gibbs pointed out. "It would be foolish to underestimate her."

"Though Kronk is only on the Thirteen because Yzma likes to have him around," Aaron said. "The others like to boss him around too. Sophia is right though. He's an idiot. And the Thirteen's dog."

"That's better for us," Rob shrugged. "I'll take on a dumb enemy before I take on an evil genius any day."

"We have a genius on our side too," Jack pointed out. "Milo Thatch. Egghead from Atlantis. I remember him."

Aaron snorted. "What is he going to do? Make cruel insinuations about their mothers?"

"Ooh! Ooh!" Pintel cried. "I got one! Gaston, your momma is so ugly that when she steps outside the mob song starts singing "KILL THE BEAST!"

Ragetti guffawed loudly. "Scar, yo mama is so fat that when she fell asleep the undertaker tried to bury her in an elephant graveyard."

"FOCUS!" Rob yelled.

"Do they even have mothers?" Emma asked thoughtfully.

Rob groaned. "Look. Milo is smart and has a lot of spunk… not unlike someone else we all used to know. Plus Kelsey got The Spirit from him." He glanced around the galley. "This is Disney. We're going to put our faith in a lot of underdogs."

"Nothing new," Will said mildy.

"Right," Rob agreed. "So we're heading up to Peru… once we make it out of the locker. Any questions?" The hall was silent. "Okay, class dismissed," Rob sighed. The pirates cleared out. Rob felt slightly better. They had a plan… sort of. Now if only the water supply would hold up.

-888-

"Your momma is so stupid that I told her she was grumpy and now she's working in a diamond mine with Doc and Sneezy." Ragetti said to Pintel as they walked up and down the deck of The Black Pearl.

"Yeah, well your momma is so hairy that Dopey is jealous of her because he can't grow a beard like hers." Pintel retorted.

"Hey!" Ragetti cried. "What's that?"

"No distractions," Pintel barked. "It's your turn."

"No, really…" Ragetti insisted. "Look." He pointed at a strange shape in the dark waters. There were strange shadowy figures below the waves and they stared up at the pirates with dead frightening eyes. "Ugh!" Ragetti jumped back.

"Eerie," Pintel frowned. "That's downright macabre."

They stared at the dark specters in fascination for a few moments before Ragetti grinned. "I wonder what would happen if you dropped a cannonball on one of 'em."

The two of them quickly ran to the armory and came back with two heavy cannonballs. They were snickering and had nearly made it to the side of the ship when another figure stepped out of the shadows. Tia Dalma glared at them. Pintel immediately dropped his.

"Be disrespectful it would," Pintel said quickly. Ragetti dropped his as well.

Tia Dalma sighed, "They should be in the care of Davy Jones. That was the duty him was charged with by the goddess Calypso. To ferry those who die at sea to the other side, and every ten years him could come ashore to be with she who love him, truly. But the man has become a monster."

"So he wasn't always... Tentacley?" Raggetti asked. He wiggled his fingers beneath his chin.

"No," Tia Dalma said sadly, "Him was a man, once." She sadly stroked the silver locket that the woman always wore. Rob and the others made their way over to the side of the ship.

Emma scrambled up onto the railing, leaning out so far that she caused Rob to have a minor heart attack. He gripped the back of her baggy dwarf costume and pulled her back. "Emma!" he cried. "Be careful!"

"I'm fine. I'm looking for Kelsey," she said. "She died at sea right? Maybe she didn't make it when Jack showed up."

"Emma…" Rob sighed. Though the girl had a point. And despite himself Rob did find himself searching the seas for signs of his sister.

"Now it's boats coming," Ragetti piped pointing out at the mist. Sure enough, strange white figures in Victorian garb were bobbing up and down in little longboats. There were twin young girls like miniature Elizabeths, tall proud men in powdered wigs, grizzled rough looking sailors and even a few small cabin boys.

"They're not a threat to us," Will said as he watched them with a strange fascination. He turned to Tia Dalma "Am I right?"

Tia Dalma nodded, "We are nothing but ghosts to them."

"It's best just let them be," Barbosa said quietly.

Emma frowned. "I don't see her."

Rob sighed. "Disappointed despite himself. She's not going to show up Emma."

Emma's mouth suddenly dropped open. "Wait. Rob. I know one of them."

"Right," Rob muttered. He tried to lift her down from the railing but she gripped tightly. "No, really. I know that guy." She pointed out a middle-aged gentleman in a ludicrous curly wig. "He was at the wedding. Kelsey and I saw him."

Rob would have to explain the situation with Will and Elizabeth at some point and get Emma to stop mentioning the ill-fated wedding. But neither Will or Elizabeth seemed to notice it. Both of them hurried to Emma's side and followed where she was pointing.

"It's my father," Elizabeth cried happily. "We've made it back! Father, Father here, look here!" Will and Rob exchanged uneasy glances. Rob renewed his efforts at tugging her off the rail until Emma let go. "Go down below." he ordered.

"But Rob…" Emma whined.

"Now," he snapped. Emma looked wounded but shuffled down the steps.

"Elizabeth…" Jack frowned once Emma was out of earshot, "We're not back."

A shadow of concern swept over Elizabeth's face, "Father!"

Governor Swann looked startled but then caught sight of his daughter. "Elizabeth!" he cried. "Are you dead?"

Elizabeth shook her head, "No, no."

Governor Swann looked relieved before he smiled sadly, "I think I am."

Elizabeth's face looked stricken. "No you can't be!" she cried.

Governor Swann continued in a dull faint voice. "There was this chest, you see, this heart. At the time it seemed so important.

Elizabeth ran alongside the deck trying to keep pace with him. "Come aboard!" she called.

"And the heart," Governor Swann continued as though he hadn't heard her. "I learnt that if you stab the heart, yours must take its place and you will sail the seas for eternity." Rob couldn't help but notice that Will and Jack both perked up at this. Will looked horrified. And Rob was sure that he was struggling to understand how he could avenge his father if he stabbed the heart and became enslaved as its captain. Jack on the other hand looked "The Dutchman must have a captain. Silly thing to die for," Governor Swann said.

"Someone cast a line! Come back with us!" Elizabeth cried.

Tia Dalma turned to Will, "A touch of destiny…" she whispered in a voice that Rob found completely unsettling.

Elizabeth scrambled to the edge of the ship and threw out a heavy rope in his direction. It landed in the little boat. "Take the line!" She cried.

Governor Swann made no move to grab the rope. Instead, he stared up at his daughter sadly. "I'm so proud of you, Elizabeth," he said softly.

Elizabeth was crying as she desperately yelled at her father. "Father, father, the line! Take the line!"

The rope slipped off the boat and landed with a faint splash in the sea. Then, many things happened at once. Elizabeth climbed up on the railing. Tia Dalma saw this and screamed. "She must not leave the ship!" Will seemed to wake up. She shoved Rob aside roughly. Rob managed to get up to his feet just in time to see Will throw himself towards Elizabeth. He wrapped his arms tightly around her waist and hauled her back on board just seconds before she would have splashed overboard. Rob let out a breath that he had been holding, but Elizabeth just kept screaming and sobbing after her father. She struggled wildly against Will's arms. Will only narrowly managed to dodge one of her flailing arms before she gave him a black eye, but he held her firm as she struggled.

"Father! Please come with us! Please! I won't leave you!" she wept.

Governor Swann's boat passed by them slowly. "I'll give your love to your mother shall I?" he said softly.

"Please, I won't let you die!" Elizabeth sobbed hysterically. Until finally she stopped struggling. She turned her face into Will's shoulder and sobbed as he held her. His face was an expression that Rob couldn't quite read. Pity? Sadness? Loss? And even perhaps a bit of love… even now.

Will turned to Tia Dalma and asked desperately, "Is there a way?" he asked in a rough voice.

Tia Dalma shook her head sadly. "Him at peace."

Rob frowned, grateful that Emma had gone below and wouldn't have to see her friend crying. More grief. It hovered over their ship like a heavy dark cloud and it seemed that it would never fade away.


	41. Conversation with a Hallucination

**The Great Disney Adventure III: Heroes and Villains**

**A Disney story by talking2myself**

**DISCLAIMER: See Chapter 1**

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **My thoughts and prayers go out to the victims of the Boston Marathon and their families. My own family and friends were present at the race and the hours that followed were agony trying to contact them in the ensuing chaos. Hopefully, all of those injured are now safe at home with their families.

**Chapter. 41 Conversation with a Hallucination**

If a passerby were too look down at the crew of the Black Pearl they would have thought some sort of great massacre had occurred. The crew members were sprawled across the decks like sand lizards as the heat proceeded to rise. Jack and Sophia both leaned against the mast. Sophia's normally pristine and stylish updo had collapsed around her head the way a icecream scoop melts around its cone. Emma's head lay in Sophia's lap. Her pigtails drooped around her face. She had popped her thumb into her mouth. A nervous habit that she was too old for but no one made any effort to stop her. Pintel and Gibbs were propped back to back with each other.

Pintel lifted a bottle to his lips and tried to shake a few more drops free. "No water," he moaned. "Why is all but the rum gone?"

"Too many underaged whelps aboard," Jack muttered.

Gibbs frowned, "Rum's gone too."

"Too many drunk Jacks aboard," Sophia growled.

Emma lifted her head up from Sophia's skirts. "Isn't there only one Jack?"

"Depends on who you ask," Sophia muttered glancing over at Jack who was babbling to some unseen figure.

"No no no… you see there are multiple whelps. Originally it was just Will and in all fairness that dopey fellow in the big hat gave it to him. Barbosa yes. I told you about him. Eunuch. And then Kelsey got the nickname which I gave her and then Emma…"

Tia Dalma heavy skirts dragged behind her as she paced the deck. "If we cannot escape these doldrums before night I fear we will sail on trackless seas, doomed to roam the reach between worlds, forever."

Emma let out a squeak of fright and inched closer to Sophia. Sophia let out a snort. "You know just what to say to comfort a person Tia Dalma."

Gibbs sighed, "With no water forever looks to be arriving a mite too soon."

Will wiped a bead of sweat from his forehead and glanced over at the "dopey fellow with the big hat." He groaned, "Why doesn't he do something?"

Rob frowned staring at his wavery reflection in the water. "Maybe Jack's onto something?"

"Think about what you just said, Rob." Will sighed. At that moment Jack the monkey raced across the deck with something small and white in his hand. Seconds later Ragetti was bumbling after him.

"Me eye, give it back!" he yelped.

Gibbs rose to his feet. "There's no sense to it."

"And the green flash happens at sunset, not sunrise," Will pointed out.

"Over the edge... Oh, that's driving me over the bloomin' edge. Sunrises don't set," Gibbs muttered to himself.

Jack sighed and rose to his feet. He passed Jackie and Alice who were slumped against the railing. They had spent the morning French braiding each other's hair in order to keep it off their necks. It was hard to believe that at one point they would have clawed each other's eyes out over Rob.

Jack plopped down in front of the chart. "Up is down…" he muttered as he stared at the charts. "Well that's just maddeningly unhelpful. Why are these things never clear?

"Clear as mud, Jackie."

One of the mini-Jacks peeked out from behind his dreadlocks.

"What? Eh?" Jack asked.

"Stab the heart!" the mini-Jack said.

"Don't stab the heart!" another mini-Jack perched on his other shoulder.

"Come again?" Jack asked.

"The Dutchman must have a captain." the second Jack said.

"Well that's even more than less than unhelpful," Jack snapped.

"You would have hallucinations that are even crazier than you." Jack perked up. Seated across from him was Kelsey. She was eyeing the map curiously.

"Hey!" Jack snapped. "What are _you _doing here?"

"How should I know?" the hallucination shrugged. "You're the one who keeps bringing me back."

"Hmmph," Jack sniffed. "You lied to me."

"I'm dishonest," the hallucination grinned. "And you can always trust an dishonest lass to be dishonest."

"Oh shut up," Jack snorted.

"Look," the imaginary Kelsey sat back on her haunches. "Clearly you miss the real me which is why you constantly dip into madness and bring me back because even though you know it's stupid and crazy it's as close to the real me as you're going to come." The false Kelsey paused and grinned. "Or you've finally gone totally bonkers. I wouldn't rule that out either. Either way. I'm here." She held up her hands with a shrug.

"Fine," Jack muttered. "If you're going to hang around then make yourself useful." He pushed the map closer to her.

"Very well," The hallucination sighed. "What do your Jacks say about the matter?"

"Sail the seas for eternity…" The first mini-Jack said.

"Not _that _matter," The hallucination scowled.

"I love the sea," Jack agreed.

"You're talking about the heart right?" not-Kelsey said. "That's not even in the cards right now. The heart is miles away."

"What about port?" The second Mini-Jack asked.

"I prefer rum. Rum's good."

"Making port! Where we can get rum and salty wenches- once every ten years." the second Jack said.

"What'd he say?" the first mini-Jack asked.

"Once every ten years," Jack said.

"Ten years is a long time, mate," The first Mini-Jack said.

"Even longer given the defecit of rum," Jack said gluy.

"FOCUS!" The Kelsey-hallucination bellowed. Jack shook his head so that the mini-Jacks clung to his dreadlocks. "Jack, I already died trying to help you," the hallucination said. "You don't want the others to die do you?"

"I didn't want you to come back for me," Jack scowled. "The real you that is."

The hallucination smiled sadly. "I know. That's why you need to find the answer. Before you're trapped here."

"Do you know the answer love?" Jack demanded.

"Do you?" she asked.

"I don't know!" Jack cried. "Give me a hint."

The hallucination gestured at the charts. "It's right here."

The first mini-Jack continued, "Ten years is long. But eternity is longer still...

"And how will you be spending it? Dead? Or not?" The second mini-Jack. Kelsey

"The immortal Captain Sparrow," The first Jack crowed.

Jack grinned, "Ooh, I like that!" The hallucination rolled her eyes and reached out. She used her thumb and forefinger to flick the first mini-Jack off his shoulder and send him sailing as he yelped in fright.

"Come sunset it won't matter," The second mini-Jack shrugged.

Jack's whole face lit up suddenly. "Not sunset." He rotated the charts. "Sundown! And rise... Up!" The Kelsey hallucination smiled at him approvingly.

"Now that's more like it." Jack shook his head and all of his hallucinations were gone. He raced to one side of the deck, "What's that? What is that?" He paused and said to himself, "I don't know, what do you think?"

Gibbs looked baffled, "Where?"

"There!" Jack raced to the other side. Rob and Will exchanged confused glances before chasing after him.

"What is it?" Elizabeth asked.

Barbossa stuffs Ragetti's eye back into its socket before he watched the odd little race on the deck.

"He's rocking the ship," Pintel said.

"We're rocking the ship!" Gibbs cried.

Barbossa caught a quick glance at the charts before he grinned. "Aye, he's on to it!"

"He's rocking the ship!" Pintel echoed in disbelief.

Ragetti suddenly appeared with a coil of rope on his arm. "We tie each other to the mast, upside down, so when the boat flips we'll be the right way up!" Pintel thought for a moment and then grinned.

Alice and Jackie were wobbling to their feet. Rob looked around for his cousin only to see her tumbling head over tea kettle across the deck. "Whoooa!" he heard her cry until the plunked into Rob's leg. Emma sat up and shook her head only to feel the ship tip forwards again. "Yikes!" she yelped.

Rob scooped up his cousin. "Hang on Em." he said. He snatched up his cousin's lifeline which was still tied to her waist and tied it around his own. He adjusted his cousin so she was clinging to his back. "Hang on Tink!" Emma cried to the little fairy. She pulled one of the ribbons from her pigtails and handed it to Tink. "Here's your lifeline. Hide under my hat!" Tinker Bell followed her instructions as the ship rocked to the other side.

Barbossa was yelling orders over the din as they clammered across the deck. He vanished down below to rose the crew members. "Time it with the swell! Loose the cannons, ya lazy bilge rats! Un-stow the cargo, let it shift!"

Rob could hear the cannons clatter into the side of the deck as they raced across the deck. "This is stupid!" he cried skidding to a halt and gripping the railing to keep himself from toppling over the side. Emma had fastened herself around his neck and had buried her face into his great coat.

"Rob make it stop!" she yelled. "I'm getting seasick!"

"Sorry Emmaaaaaa," the angle of the deck had become so steep that Rob stumbled and then went sliding down across the deck. Rob nearly flopped over the side and both him and Emma were screaming.

"Rob!" Will cried. He reached out gripped Rob by the back of his coat and hauled him and Emma back aboard. Gravity took care of the rest. Rob started to wobble in the other direction but this time he gripped the mast tightly and managed to upright himself.

"Thanks Will," he stammered, "You alright Em?"

"I don't feel so good," Emma moaned.

"Don't blow chunks on me now!" Rob cried.

Sophia could barely stand. She had Aaron (whom she had retrieved from his area almost as an afterthought) on one side of her and Jackie on the other but those two were almost as wobbly as she was. She caught sight of Pintel and Ragetti are tied upside down to the mast looking immensely pleased with themselves and shook her head. "Morons," she muttered.

Eventually the ship was so steep that the crew members had to leap for the railing and cling to it for dear life. Rob gripped it and he could feel his legs dangling below him. Emma had a death grip around his neck and was screaming in his ear but for some reason neither of these things registered to Rob. Instead he was listening to Jack. Who was speaking very calmly. "Now up... is down."

The ship suddenly flipped over and they were all sinking into the water. "Deep breath Emma! Close your eyes!" Rob cried, hoping that Emma could hear him.

The crew was submerged and Rob kept his eyes closed. His nose and lungs burned from salt water and he dared not open his eyes. He prayed his cousin would listen to his advice. Her tight grip seemed to indicate that she did. She was still clinging to him tightly.

Suddenly, it felt as though they were spinning. Moving somehow. There was a sudden surge of water and Rob gripped the railing until his knuckles turned white. Suddenly, he felt the ship shoot upwards. There was the sensation that he was flying and then he struck the deck roughly. Miraculously right side up.

Rob released his pent up breath and coughed up salt water. Emma rolled off him and began to cough and spit up feebly. Rob braced her shoulders. "You alright Emma?" he asked.

Emma lifted up her head. One pigtail dangled sopping wet while the other had come loose and now a wet sheet of hair practically covered her face. "I'm okay," she mumbled. She pulled off her soaking hat and Tinker Bell flew up and shook out her wet wings.

The rest of the crew gradually regained their thoughts while Pintel and Ragetti slowly realized the error in their calculations.

Pintel growled, "This was your idea."

Gibbs recovered first. He sat up and then wobbled to his feet. "Blessed sweet Westerlies," he cried. "We're back!"

Rob and Jack scrambled to their feet. They stared out at the sunrise warm and glowing on the horizon. It was the most glorious sight Rob had seen in a long time.


	42. Majority and Minority

**The Great Disney Adventure III: Heroes and Villains**

**A Disney story by talking2myself**

**DISCLAIMER: See Chapter 1**

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **I have a new poll! Let me know what your two favorite OCs is. It's mostly for help developing my writing.

**Chapter. 42 Majority and Minority**

"It's a sunrise," Elizabeth smiled as she stared at the warm light in the distance. Alice and Jackie wobbled to their legs and gazed out at the warm sun. The light danced on their faces and shimmered on their wet hair. Even Pintel and Raggetti grinned at the sight, looking even more ridiculous as they hung upside down still tied to the mast. Rob smiled before he tenderly reached out and smoothed a wet curl out of Emma's face and tucked it behind her ear.

"Welcome back, everyone," he grinned.

The relief didn't last long. Barbosa marched forwards and pulled out his pistol, pointing it at Jack. The action began a chain reaction. Gibbs, Elizabeth and Will each whipped out a pistol of their own and pointed it at Barbosa defensively. Jack turned and pointed his pistol at Will. Without much thought both Will and Elizabeth each pulled out another one to point at Jack. Jack fumbled out another one to point at Elizabeth. Even Jack the monkey pointed his own mini pistol at Cotton's parrot.

"Parley!" the parrot squawked.

Seeing guns appearing from belts and coat pockets like magic, Rob scooped up Emma and backed away a few paces. While Sophia shoved Alice and Jackie behind her and brandished her wand like the others brandished their guns. Even Aaron stood there, frozen as though he was too shocked to move. His eyes wide in surprise, but not fear.

Still tied to the mast Pintel and Raggetti gaped for a few moments before Pintel cried, "We need our pistols, get untied, hurry!"

Rob stood there with his mouth hanging open for a few seconds before he burst out angrily, "What the hell guys?!"

Three of his "Friends" were suddenly pointing pistols at each other. Rob felt as though his brain had somehow shut down and couldn't process the sight of them standing there inches away from killing each other.

And when he didn't think things could get any stranger, they began to laugh. One at a time, giggles at first. First nervous giggles which gradually evolved into mad laughter at the ridiculousness of their situation.

"What's so funny Rob?" Emma asked quietly.

"I'm not sure I missed the punch line," Rob said as he pulled Emma close and took a few more steps away from the guns.

Their laughter died down and they slowly lowered their guns. Only to suddenly lift them again. Laughter gone. Jackie let out a small scream of fear that she couldn't keep locked inside.

"You've all lost your minds!" Sophia cried.

Aaron laughed smugly as the scene unfolded before him. "Am I the only who is enjoying this?" Aaron asked.

"Shut up!" Both Sophia and Rob snarled.

"Alright then!" Barbosa said in a business-like manner as though it was normal to conduct business while waving a gun about. And for Barbosa it probably was. "The Brethren Court is a-gathering at shipwreck cove, and Jack, you and I are a-going and there'll be no arguing that point."

"I is arguing the point," Jack objected. "If there's pirates a-gathering, I'm pointing my ship the other way."

Elizabeth swiftly turned both her pistols on him.. Everytime they moved their guns Jackie let out a squeak of fear. "The pirates are gathering to fight Beckett and you're a pirate."

Jack let out a squeak of fear and immediately pointed both his pistols at her. Almost as quickly, Will pointed both his pistols at Jack. "Hmmph," Rob smirked. "Broke up huh?"

One of Will's guns whipped in Rob's direction. "I kid! I kid!" Rob cried holding up his hands.

Will rolled his eyes and returned his attention to Jack "Fight or not, you're not running Jack." Jack wildly pointed his other pistol back at Will.

"If we don't stand together they'll hunt us down, one by one, until there be none left, but you," Barbosa added. Rob tightened his grip on Emma. The thought was terrifying to say the least.

Jack, however, grinned slowly, "I quite like the sound of that. Captain Jack Sparrow, last pirate."

"Sounds terrifying to me," Sophia muttered.

Barbossa scowled, "Aye, and you'll be fighting Jones alone, how does that figure into your plan?"

"I'm still working on that," Jack admitted, "But I will not be going back to the Locker, mate, count on that." With that he tried to fire. Jackie wailed and hid her face in Alice's shoulder. Rob sprang backwards, but only a spurt of water shot out of his gun. The rest all fired their guns as well but only splashes of water shot through the air. Rob let out a sigh of relief at the malfunction.

Gibbs groaned, "Wet powder!" The others seemed almost disappointed and that worried Rob more than anything else.

"Wait!" Pintel cried, "We can still use them as clubs!"

Ragetti turned and clubbed Pintel over the head with his pistol.

"Ow!" Pintel yelped.

"Sorry," Ragetti said. "Effective, though."

Now that the threat of bodily injury was gone Rob plopped Emma into Alice's arms and shoved his way into the circle. "Will you idiots stop trying to shoot each other and think for a few seconds?!"

Even though Rob said it, and Will had seen and heard Rob say it. It felt as though the words had come from Kelsey, somehow speaking through her brother from beyond the grave. Will dropped his pistols and the others rapidly followed suit. It wasn't as though they could do much with them anyway.

"Thank you," Rob continued, "Yes, Beckett is bad. Yes, we should take him out. But we've got bigger problems. The Thirteen is by far more dangerous. Whatever they're planning is dangerous. More villains. More magic More… bad. Is we don't do something about them first we'll never make it to Shipwreck Cove. Something… or someone will sink us first. I don't like what's happening with the pirates and yes Will I don't like that they have your old man in their clutches but none of that will matter if The Thirteen takes over. There will probably be no more Beckett, no more pirates." Rob looked at Barbosa "No more dad." He looked at Elizabeth "No more us." Jack looked unconcerned and was absently fingering his dreadlocks. Rob threw his head back and groaned. "And no more rum," he added pointedly.

Jack paled. "They wouldn't!"

"They would."

"The monsters!" Jack cried.

"Right," Rob said. He rolled his eyes before he continued to speak. "If we come across Beckett then by all means we'll blast him out of the water. But if we don't. We're not going to go looking for him until The Thirteen is a thing of the past."

"Is that so?" Barbosa demanded approaching him. "And how do we know this isn't some mad quest for vengeance on your part?"

"Are you really that stupid?"

Everyone perked up in surprise to see Aaron glaring at them, obviously annoyed at how things were progressing. "Am I really the only one here who likes living?" Aaron cried. Rob's eyes narrowed suspiciously.

"Beckett is essentially one very dangerous ship." Aaron continued. "His options are limited by the sea and the wind. We can outrun him. We can hide. The Thirteen, however, is not the same. They can fly. They have teeth. They have magic and I can think of no less than ten thousand ways they could eviscerate us. Frodo is right." Rob felt his heart break a little bit at his sister's old nickname and then thought his heart would fail at Aaron's words. "We need to listen to Rob and take them out first. That is if you all want to continue breathing on a fairly regular basis."

For a few moments, everyone stared at him in disbelief. Jack turned and began speaking to some unseen person. "Hallucination Kelsey is he one of your mates? He's not?!" Jack shook his head. "Have I been drinking? Or maybe this is a withdrawal symptom?"

Aaron rolled his eyes. "It's hardly out of love for _him_. It's out of love for myself."

They only were quiet for a few moments before Will spoke. "I'll follow Rob wherever he goes." Elizabeth nodded quietly.

Jack shrugged. "Sure why not? He's a little like Kelsey after all."

Everyone turned towards Barbosa expectantly. "I seem to remember an old pirate method of settling disputes between the majority and the minority." Jack added. "The majority tosses the minority overboard until the minority becomes the majority. And well since Barbosa is the only dissenting member…"

"Hush!" Barbosa snarled. He approached Rob. "Beckett cannot be forgotten."

"He won't be," Rob insisted.

"Once the Thirteen is taken care of Beckett will be dealt with." Barbosa's voice left no room for argument.

"Agreed," Rob insisted.

"Very well then." Barbosa sighed. "Where to Master Hatter?"

Rob let out a heavy sigh of relief. "Kelsey wanted to go to Peru next."

Barbosa nodded. "I'll try to figure out what direction Peru lies in."

The others slowly dispersed muttering about duties that needed attending to. Alice was immediately at Rob's side wrapping her arms around him. Emma also hugged him tightly even though she was getting sandwiched between the two. "That was much too tense." Alice whispered.

"Yeah, no kidding," Rob sighed. He glanced over in Aaron's direction before he swallowed hard. Aaron was leaning lazily against the mast. "Hey…" Rob called after him. Aaron lifted his head with minimal interest. "Um back there…" Rob began, wondering if it sounded as awkward as it felt.

"Seriously don't pull a Disney on me," Aaron snapped. "We didn't have a moment of understanding back there. We're not going to be friends now because of it and backing you doesn't mean that I've changed my opinion about you. I just really don't want to die."

"Alright," he sighed. "Thank you anyway."

Aaron didn't respond. He just skulked away leaving Rob even more confused.

-888-

Dr. Facilier rubbed his eyes and stared at the horizon. At first he thought that he had hallucinated the flash of green that had miraculously appeared. After all, they had spent many days at sea but as he stared at the ship left where the green flash had been seconds before. Sure enough the very ship that they had been searching for these past several weeks was bobbing merrily just off port.

"Khaos!" Dr. Facilier bellowed once he found his voice again. "Khaos! Khaos!"

Khaos appeared on the deck casually strolling towards him. "Do you want something or do you just enjoy calling out my name?" he smiled smugly.

Dr. Facilier reached out and snatched Khaos' purple sleeve before he dragged him to the railing and pointed out at the ship in the distance. "Would you like to meet one of the Hatters?" Dr. Facilier said.

Khaos grinned wickedly. "I believe the meeting is long overdue."

-888-

"I'll admit that I don't think Kuzco will be much help," Rob said as he paced the deck. His tri-cornered hat was in one hand he pinched the area between his eyes with his other hand. "But what else can I do? I'm trying to do my best. I'm trying. That counts for something right?" Rob sighed heavily. "I swear sometimes you're the only one around here that I can talk to."

Tinker Bell made a tinkling sound of sympathy. She sat on Rob's head and tinkled something else.

"We'll go to Neverland eventually," he said. "For the moment we're closest to Peru. Makes sense right?" Tink nodded. It sounded as though someone had struck a note on a xylophone.

Rob suddenly halted as he stared at something through the mist. He leaned over the side of the railing peering at a small dot inching closer and closer to The Pearl. After spending so much time at sea he knew what it was. A ship.

"Please be just a ship. Please be just a ship. Please be just a ship."

Once it grew closer, Rob frowned. The skull flag waved in the breeze and Rob instantly knew what it was. The Jolly Roger. Hook's ship.

Rob frowned. "It's never just a ship." Rob threw his hat over his head plunging Tinker Bell into darkness. Tink made a chiming sound of anger. "Sorry Tink," Rob said. He raced down the deck. "Stay put. I have a bad thing that things are about to get very messy."


	43. A Book of Khaos

**The Great Disney Adventure III: Heroes and Villains**

**A Disney story by talking2myself**

**DISCLAIMER: See Chapter 1**

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: … I can explain. I actually have a legit excuse for this one. My trusty partner in writing, my laptop, basically died. Through tireless effort (and several weeks of accessing the internet through my nook) I have revived it. Hopefully it holds together a little bit longer.**

**Chapter. 43 A Book of Khaos**

Khaos grinned at the ship as though he were a child on Christmas morning. "I love new toys," he said.

"Is that The Pearl?" Hook had swung open the doors of the galley with Smee trailing behind him. "Is Jack Sparrow aboard?" Hook snatched his spyglass from Smee and held it up to his eye. "Aha! I have an insult battle that has been left unfinished for far too long. HEY SPARROW! DID KELSEY GIVE YOU A BLACK EYE BEFORE SHE DIED OR DID YOU SMUDGE YOUR MASCARA?"

Khaos rolled his eyes. "I don't think we have time for this."

"I agree," Dr. Facilier snapped. He elbowed Hook in his rib cage roughly. Hook stumbled backwards and let out a puff of hair "Proceed." Dr. Facilier said.

The entire crew held their breaths as Khaos lifted The Book of Songs. The Book that they had spent so many days struggling to find and use. Now was the time when the most powerful book would be in a villain's hands.

"Time for a new game," Khaos grinned. He began to hum Colors of the Wind. Sure enough, a breeze began to pick up which soon transformed into a mighty gust that nearly plucked Dr. Facilier's hat from his head.

Khaos slowly lifted his hand and made a twirling gesture with one finger. As he did, the wind swept around The Black Pearl causing it to whirl around and around and around like a top.

-888-

"Guys we have a bit of a situation…. Yikes!" Rob was interrupted by the sudden rocking of the ship. Rob and Will were knocked flat by the wind. He roughly hit the deck and felt his stomach turning and flipping around like an acrobat.

Aaron was flattened besides Rob. He pushed himself up onto his elbows and looked as though he were going toss his cookies over the side of the deck. It was a look that he had seen on Will numerous times while flying. "What the hell is going on?" Aaron demanded. "A storm?"

"It's an oddly convenient storm," Rob grumbled. "At the same time The Jolly Roger is floating just off the portside."

Aaron looked as though he was going to say something else but the wind had picked up and again and they whipped around as though they were caught in a blender. Will hit the deck besides Rob as Emma went rolling by. Rob reached out and pulled his cousin close and prayed for the ship to stop moving. Emma had locked her arms around her stomach. "What do we do? What do we do? What do we do?" Rob cried.

Jack skidded across the deck only to smack into the mast. He groaned as his head bounced off the wood. "Bugger!" he growled. "I don't normally start wobbling around like this without the use of rum."

"How is Hook doing this?" Rob yelled. "Tia Dalma is the only person who can control the seas."

Tia Dalma was clinging to a mast. Her dreadlocks whipped around her head roughly. "Believe me. Dis is not MY doing."

"Oww!" Rob yelped. "Tink!" The little fairy had clung to his hair so tightly she had yanked out a strand of blonde hair.

"Something tells me this is not Hook," Will said. Suddenly the ship came to a halt. "Lifelines!" Will hollered. "Quick! Before it starts up again…"

This time the ship was rocking again, back and forth like when they had tried to flip the Black Pearl back in the locker. Though this time if they did flip. They would have drastically different results.

-888-

"Are you enjoying yourself?" Dr. Facilier growled as he watched the spinning boat.

"Immensely," Khaos responded, breaking his singing. The ship bobbed up and down like a cork.

"You're not doing any real damage," Dr. Facilier scowled. "Stop fooling around."

Khaos pouted. "I don't like breaking my toys." He resumed his humming. This time he moved his hand back and forth. The ship began to rock wildly. Mim turned away as her face began to turn green from watching the ship.

-888-

Rob tucked Emma under his arm like a football as he raced to the lifelines. The ship was rocking again. Rob bent his knees and scrambled forwards struggling to stay low to the deck. "Rob what's happening?!" Emma yelped.

"Not sure," Rob said as he skidded to a halt besides the lifelines. The ship was rocking more and more. He gripped the mast with one arm while keeping a tight grip on his cousin with the other. He slipped the lifeline over Emma before pulling it taut around her waist.

Suddenly, the ship lurched to one side. Rob felt Emma slide from his arms and he rolled backwards across the deck. "ROB!" he heard Emma, Sophia and Will scream. He felt something hard smack the side of his head and the neck minute he was soaring. He flew through the air before he splashed into the salty water of the sea below.

-888-

"Did you see that?" Smee cried. He pointed at the figure who had just toppled over the side of the ship. Khaos stopped humming and stared at the splash where the boy had been mere moments before.

Khaos immediately began to hum Under the Sea. For a few moments, the water bubbled and then a few moments later a jet of water sprayed out of the water. Rob was sent flying up out of the water. His legs flailed wildly before he landed roughly on the deck of the Jolly Roger.

"Well look what we have here," Khaos said with a grin. He clapped the book closed and stared down at the soaking figure before him. Rob painfully coughed up a lungful of salt water. Tinker Belle shook her wet wings before diving behind Rob's ears.

"We got the boy!" Hook shrieked gleefully. "The last Hatter!"

"There's still the little Hatter you idiot," Dr. Facilier said. "Though this is definitely a pleasant acquisition."

"Speak for yourself," Khaos pouted. "That was way too easy. Not a very fun game."

Dr. Facilier shook his head. Rob stared up at the villains in shock. He reached for Switch only to discover that it was still in his cabin at the Black Pearl. He scowled.

If I make it out of here alive I'm never going to leave home without Switch again. I'll sleep with the darn thing like Will.

Rob shook his head and stared up at the strange violet tinted man who was staring down at him. He was staring at him intently as though trying to memorize the features of his face. Rob, however, wasn't staring at the man so much as what he held.

"The Book?!" he cried. He sprang forwards lunging for the book. Khaos took a step backwards and Rob landed flat onto the deck. Thin rivers of water were trailing from his shaggy hair. Hook and Dr. Facilier jerked him back as he struggled. "That's my sister's! Where the hell did you get it?"

"Feisty isn't he?" Khaos smirked. Rob froze and stared at Khaos. That voice. That rich smooth voice. It sounded so familiar. Why did it sound so familiar. Had he ever seen this guy before? From a movie perhaps.

"Who are you?" Rob asked quietly.

"Allow me to introduce, Khaos," Mim said. "God of Chaos and Discord. He also walks between two worlds. Just like your sister."

Rob's head swung over to see Mim standing at his side. "YOU?!" he cried in disbelief. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm a member of the Thirteen now thank you very much," she said proudly.

"What the…" Rob shook his head. "Did ALL the villains in the Kingdom die?" Mim scowled at him.

"Great," Dr. Facilier said. "He'll have a front row seat for when we decimate his ship."

"NO!" Rob and Khaos both cried in unison. Rob turned and stared at his new enemy in shock.

"Where is the sport in that?" Khaos snapped. "I'm not about to destroy a perfectly good ship."

"Do you think this is just some game?!" Dr. Facilier cried.

"Isn't it?" Khaos shrugged. "Furthermore it's my decision and not yours. And I'm not done playing yet."

"You moron…"

"I suggest that you alert the crew of our enemy that we have a new guest aboard our vessel," Khaos said. He turned towards Hook. "I suppose I'll let you do the honors."

Hook grinned. "With pleasure."

Dr. Facilier was glaring at Khaos. "Oh honestly," Khaos sighed. "You have no imagination. There is so much more to do than simply destroying your enemies. Why do that when you can use them against your remaining enemies. Besides," he added. "There's one Hatter left. The little one."

Rob's eyes widened. "I swear to God and Disney that if you hurt her.

Dr. Facilier was quiet and thoughtful while Khaos gestured to Hook's men, "Take him away." Rob fought wildly as they dragged him down below.

-888-

The ship finally stopped rocking. Will wobbled to his feet unsteadily just in time to see a blast of water shoot up out of the water. Rob.

"Oh no," Will whispered. They watched as Rob plopped onto the deck.

"Ready the cannons," Jack cried.

"You can't do that you idiot!" Sophia cried. "You'll blow Rob to bits!"

"Well what are we supposed to do?" Jack cried.

"Not get shot at this point," Aaron pointed out. "They send another storm and we're all screwed."

"Attention Black Pearl," A loud voice echoed in the distance.

"Hook," Jack growled.

"I've been informed that we don't have time for the customary exchange of insults which is unfortunate because otherwise I would have called Jack a long-haired drunkard who… ouch. Honestly, Dr. Facilier it was only one insult."

"Get on with it!" Dr. Facilier growled.

"Oh very well," Hook sniffed. "As I as saying. We have your boy. And if you're getting any thoughts about shooting us we advise you to reconsider if you value your lives."

"What do you want?" Jack demanded.

"Well we haven't quite decided," Hook said. "For the moment we have what we want. We just haven't quite decided what to do with him. Perhaps we'll have a vote? Maybe we'll just use him for shark bait."

"I hear that codfish makes for great shark bait," Jack snarled.

"Why you smile pile of fishguts… OWW! Facilier!"

"Thank you for your assistance," Facilier yelled. "We'll be on our way now."

The Jolly Rogers sails were unfurled and the ship sped off with unusual speed, powered once again by The Book.

Jack shook a fist at the ship as it sailed away. "You lousy codfish! I'll catch you and serve you with lemon and herbs before this is all over."

"It's no use Jack," Will sighed. "They can't hear you."

Emma was wailing. "Make them bring him back. Chase after him."

Sophia looked at Jack. "She's right. Go on! Chase after him! Do something."

"Like what?!" Jack cried helplessly.

"I don't know," she wailed. "SOMETHING!"

But no one had any ideas. All they could do was watch the ship as it faded into the distance.


	44. Curiouser and Curiouser

The Great Disney Adventure III: Heroes and Villains

A Disney story by talking2myself

DISCLAIMER: See Chapter 1

AUTHOR'S NOTE: My old laptop died tragically but peacefully in his sleep mode. I have FINALLY received my new laptop today and apologize for the delay. (And to the smart alec guest who asked if I had gone "belly up" no I am very much alive thank you very much.) Honestly not my fault… again. Hopefully this one will serve me as faithfully as my old one did.

Chapter. 44 Curiouser and Curiouser

_Prisons are all remarkably similar after a while_, Rob mused once Hook's men had thrown him roughly into a dark room. Perhaps Rob had just been thrown into too many and they were beginning to blur together.

"Thank you boys," the silky voice of the latest villain echoed in the empty room as Rob's latest enemy glided into the room. "You are dismissed." The two brutish pirates nodded and stumbled out slamming the door shut behind them. For a few seconds all Rob could do was stare at the strange villain and Khaos stared right back. Finally, Khaos cocked his head to one side and examined him.

"You don't look like a 'Rob'," he said.

Rob shook his head in disbelief. How hard had he hit the water? Was he hearing things? Tinker Belle chimed in his ear. "No, I don't get it either," Rob muttered.

"I'd name you Josh," Khaos shrugged. "I think it would fit." He caught sight of the glowing figure still hiding behind Rob's ear. "So you brought the lightning bug with you?"

Tinker Belle chittered angrily. Rob seemed to remember that he was angry at Khaos and not merely confused and bolted to his feet. "Where did you get that book?" he demanded. "You must have taken that from Kelsey. She wouldn't have let you take it otherwise. Did you kill her?" Rob didn't realize that he was screaming at Khaos. Khaos stared back at Rob. His face was expressionless.

Rob groaned and yelled again. "You know something about my sister don't you?"

"You're asking a lot of dangerous questions," Khaos snapped angrily.

Rob felt a strange combination of hope and dread rise up within him. "You do know something. Did you kill her?" Rob had never been so afraid to ask a question before.

Khaos rolled his eyes, "No as a matter of fact I didn't. I just happened to find this little novel on the shores of the locker." He grinned at Rob. "I heard it was a hot read."

Rob glared at Khaos. "Now," Khaos said. "There's the question of what I'm going to do with you…"

"Who are you?" Rob repeated.

Khaos bristled, "Don't listen very well do you?"

"I know that you said you were some sort of god but…" Rob stared at him again hoping some piece of clothing or lock of hair or his smile would look familiar and jog some memory into place. Nothing. Nothing but that voice. That strange soothing voice. If he didn't figure out where it came from Rob swore he would go insane.

"Pipe down," Khaos barked. "I don't have to explain anything to my prisoners. And if you would pay any heed to what I'm saying you'd note that I said what was _I_ going to do with with you not _they_."

Rob felt as though his head had been filled with bees and they were now buzzing around his head in confusion. "What?"

Khaos examined him some more before he spoke again. "I have plans and they are maybe not the same plans as some of my current companions. And if you stop being stupid I can help you."

"Help me?" Rob repeated in disbelief. "Why the hell would you do that?"

Khaos didn't flinch at the four letter word like most Disney characters instead he just grinned. It was terrifying. He reminded Rob a bit of The Joker from Batman. Was that why he seemed so familiar? No. It was something else.

"I have my reasons," he purred. "You just have to trust me."

"And what if I don't?" Rob crossed his arms defiantly.

Khaos shrugged. "Suit yourself. I'll let them kill you if that's what they really want to do. Shame really. This game started out so promising and ended much too quickly. But I suppose I'll find another one…"

"Wait," Rob cried hating the desperation in his voice. Khaos's smile quirked upwards. He smiled way too much for a villain. Rob always hated villains who smiled. "I trust you… sort of."

Khaos laughed in amusement. "Excellent. The game is afoot again. Now, I have some pondering to do but I'll be back this evening to bust you out. Try not to be idiotic while I'm gone. Ta." Khaos turned and waved over his shoulder as he vanished out of the cell.

Rob slumped to the ground, suddenly very tired. There was something strange about this villain. Something very strange.

"Curiouser and curiouser," he murmured to himself. He was once again in a cell and this time his only hope was a madman villain.

-888-

Will had very few memories of his mother. She had died when he was still child but he did remember the serenity prayer that she had taught him. _God, give me grace to accept with serenity the things that cannot be changed, courage to change the things which should be changed and the Wisdom to distinguish the one from the other. _At this particular moment Will had changed the prayer slightly. _Let me focus of the things I can change so I don't think about what they're doing to Rob._

"I want someone in the crow's nest at all times," Will yelled, pacing up and down the deck "If they see so much as a glimmer of a sail I want to be informed. And Emma doesn't go anywhere without at least two protectors… armed protectors. And for the love of Disney can't this tub go any faster?"

"Not without wind," Jack grumbled, apparently he didn't mind that Will had temporarily usurped command of the ship. He was just as worried about Rob. "Dump anything that's not useful with the exception of Aaron!" Jack yelled.

"Hey!" Aaron snapped.

"And maybe save a few forks just in case we run into trouble like last time." Jack added thoughtfully.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU CAN'T FIND EMMA?!"

Sophia's shrill voice could be heard all the way from the other side of the deck. Jackie stood before her shaking.

"I-I-I can't find her sh-sh-she was just here and…"

"No," Sophia wailed bursting into tears in a way that was becoming all too familiar for someone as stoic as Sophia. "No, no, no…" she cried. "I can't have one hatter dead, another captured and now lost the last one. This is terrible!"

"Sophia," Elizabeth cried. "Get a grip." She clutched Sophia's shoulders and shook her until her little golden spectacles fell from her nose. "Emma has to be on the ship somewhere. She probably slipped out of her lifeline."

"Right, you're right," Sophia said with a loud sniff as she managed to find her composure.

"I have an idea," Will said. "Keep this thing going as fast as possible I'm going to look around."

Will headed down the hallway that led to the galley. As soon as he stepped inside he could hear sniffling from a corner of the room. Will frowned and followed the noise. "Emma?"

A barrel sat there. At one point it had been filled with apples until Barbosa had joined the ship. He could hear weeping coming from inside. "Emma?" he asked again. He stared down at the figure huddled in the barrel who looked up at him with red eyes. "Oh Emma," Will said sadly.

The barrel had been a favorite hiding spot for Kelsey. _This boat is a terrible place for an introvert _she used to grumble. She had gotten the idea from the book _Treasure_ _Island_. No surprise that Emma had discovered her cousin's place. She stared up at him whimpering and acting like a scared child should act for the first time since the journey had begun. "Why do the bad guys keep winning?" she whimpered. "They're not supposed to win here."

Will gently reached for Emma and lifted her out of the barrel. "They won't win this time."

Emma whimpered for a few moments before she threw her arms around Will's neck and buried her face into Will's shoulder and cried. Will rubbed her back gently and held her tight. "They won't win this time."

-888-

A few feet away, Elizabeth stood in the doorway. She watched as Will tenderly lifted Emma into his arms. The girl was still crying but she wouldn't let go of Will. His gentle hands cradled her and rocked her in his arms as though he had been around children all of his life instead of swords.

He'll make a wonderful father, Elizabeth thought wistfully. Then, she remembered. If Will ever did have any children they wouldn't be hers. That particular ship had sailed. As she gazed at the two of them it suddenly became clear of all that she had lost. There would be no curly haired boys or girls with his dark eyes. She hadn't just lost Will she had lost any future that they might have had together.

Elizabeth tore her eyes away from the scene. She was suddenly jealous of the girl in Will's arms. It would have been nice to have someone hold her and assure her that everything would be alright. Instead she quickly wiped her eyes and scurried away to calm Sophia.

-888-

Rob stared up at the moonlight filtering through the window. The villains had come in some to gloat and monologue others just to ensure that he was still there. Hook had wanted to continue the insult contest but quickly gave up after Rob kept responding with "Yeah your mom."

He wasn't sure whether Khaos, which was his name apparently Mim had told him that when she appeared to brag about her new villain status, would actually appear. He wasn't sure if he even wanted him to. Khaos seemed more than a little unstable. He might be better off trying to escape on his own. Unfortunately, if kept coming back to one sobering fact. He didn't have many options right now.

There was a creaking sound and the door swung open. Rob jumped at the noise and Khaos strolled in with his traditional grin. "Lovely evening. Ready to go?"

"I guess," Rob said slowly getting to his feet and following Khaos out of the hallway.

"Right this way," he smiled. Gesturing for him to follow. None of the others were present. Rob gulped. Where are they?

"You look scared," Khaos stated.

"Could you blame me?"

"Don't worry," Khaos said. "They're not here. They're sleeping."

"And they didn't find it weird that you were talking to me?" Rob demanded.

"They didn't notice," Khaos shrugged. "They were celebrating. Hook was out by ten, too much grog. It was a major victory apparently taking out the last Hatter." Khaos sounded more than a little bit bitter.

"Won't they be mad once they find out your involvement?" Rob demanded.

Khaos' face lit up, "I certainly hope so!" Rob sighed. It was impossible to figure out this new villain, he decided. His thoughts drifted back to the last non-Disney he had seen. The dark knight. _Some men just want to watch the world burn_. This guy would be perfectly content to douse the world in gasoline and light a match just to watch the flames dance.

"What about the crew?" Rob asked.

"What about them?" Khaos asked.

"Won't they stop you?" Rob asked.

"Most of them had participated in some celebrating of their own. They're snoring all over the place." Khaos paused and grinned. "The rest of them are afraid of me."

_I can understand that._

Rob frowned and followed Khaos in silence. They moved across the quiet ship and sure enough Rob could hear loud snores coming from the hammocks. _I hope they all wake up with hangovers_, he thought angrily. They stepped out onto the deck. The sky was so clear and bright he could see all of the stars and moon shining out over the dark water. And in the distance was a small black dot. Barely visible on the horizon. The Black Pearl.

"Stand up there," Khaos ordered. "Pointing to the edge of the Jolly Roger." Rob gave him a pointed look. Khaos rolled his eyes. "If I wanted you dead I would have drowned you." Rob slowly obeyed. Tinker bell flitted around his head anxiously.

"Can you just answer one thing?" Rob asked. Khaos nodded. "Why… why are you doing this?"

Khaos smiled. "This game is not very fun. I need to fix that. It can't be over this quickly. It's no fun. Ohh…" he added softly. "Just so you know. This is one time game reset. The next time we meet, I will be intent on taking you out."

Rob frowned. "Understood."

"Good," Khaos grinned.

Khaos snatched Tinker Bell out of the air and then shook Tinker Bell over Rob's head like she was a salt shaker. Tinker Bell made a few tinkling sounds of distress. "You remember how this works right?" Khaos asked after shoving Tinker Bell back into Rob's hands. "Think happy thoughts."

With that, Khaos shoved him forwards and Rob toppled backwards into the water.


	45. A Pot of Tea

The Great Disney Adventure III: Heroes and Villains

A Disney story by talking2myself

DISCLAIMER: See Chapter 1

Chapter 45. A Pot of Tea

Rob hit the water with a splash and shivered at the shocking cold. He popped up like a cork. Tinker Bell was tugging at his hair as though trying to pull him up.

"Happy thoughts, happy thoughts," Rob muttered. "How about not being sopping wet?"

His words were sarcastic but the thought actually did bring a small iota of cheer to his mind. Suddenly, Rob felt himself rise slightly above the water. His chest was above the water and he was at least able to breathe. He coughed up a couple of salty mouthfuls and was able to take a few gulping breaths. Quick think of something. Kelsey alive. Elizabeth and Will back together. The Thirteen vanquished. Walt Disney safe and sound. Emma smiling and laughing again.

Rob sprang forwards like a bottle rocket and Tink finally released his hair. Rob hovered for a few moments in utter disbelief. Flight had never been something he had been able to achieve despite his time in the Kingdom. He had never attempted it even though Kelsey did admit at one point that she really missed it when she was in the real world. Now that he could feel it, weightless and light as the breeze he understood why. It seemed like he was learning more and more about his sister since she had died.

He stared down at the deck of the ship below him. Khaos stood there his arms crossed as he gazed up at Rob with what seemed like approval. Rob still wasn't sure what to make of this strange new villain. He was shiftier than any he had ever encountered before and completely self-serving. Khaos raised an eyebrow and made a shooing gesture. Rob sighed and nodded before he sped forwards to the shadowy ship far in the distance.

-888-

It was nearly three in the morning and Will was still awake. He had already offered to take both Marty and Alice's shifts since it was clear that he wasn't going to be sleeping anytime soon. Adrenaline and concern wouldn't allow him to lie down for then five minutes.

Even though she didn't want to admit it he knew that Sophia was also having a rough night. When he walked by the corridors he had seen her pacing across the room, stepping lightly across the floorboards so she wouldn't wake Jackie.

With a heavy sigh, Will plopped down against the mast letting his back rest against it. He scrubbed his eyes with the heels of his hands and wondered yet again he was going to do. When he lowered his hands, he thought he saw something in the distance. Will shook his head to clear the spots from his eyes. Sure enough when he looked again there seemed to be a tiny glittering spot getting closer and closer to the ship.

Will immediately bolted to his feet and approached the edge of the ship ready to sound the alarm if necessary. Suddenly, he realized there was some sort of larger black mass floating alongside it… and it was getting faster. Will was about to run towards the alarm bell when he heard a loud cry.

"WILL!"

Will turned just in time for the big black shape to collide into him sending him toppling down to the deck. Will let out a groan of pain before he opened his eyes again and his jaw dropped open. "Rob?!"

Rob sat up wobbily and looked down at Will. "Sorry," he apologized. "Are you hurt?"

Will stared at him dumbly before he burst outloud, "AM _I _HURT?" He flung his arms around Rob and clutched him in a tight hug. The hug was quick before he released him sheepishly and asked the more important question. "Are you hurt?"

"No I'm fine," Rob assured.

Will clamped him in the hug again. "Don't do that again!"

Rob hugged Will back distractedly. "Look, Will we have a situation."

"How did you escape?" Will cried. "We need to get the heck out of here before they figure out. ALL HANDS!" Will hollered.

Rob gave up on explanations temporarily as the crew members awoke from their drowsy slumber and came barreling up the deck. "Rob!" Alice cried in astonishment before she flung her arms around him. Will was already bellowing orders to turn the boat around.

"Where are we going?"

Will cursed under his breath. "Drat. With all these distractions you can't even remember where we're going on this bloody trip."

"Peru," Rob called. "By the quickest route possible."

"Will," Rob cried. "We seriously got a problem. They have a new villain over there and he has the Book!"

Alice let out a gasp while Will stared at him in disbelief. "What?"

"And then he let me go," Rob added.

Will and Alice exchanged a look. "Are you sure they didn't smack you on the head before you left?" Will asked skeptically.

"No!" Rob insisted. "I'm totally serious."

"We can talk about this later," Alice interrupted. "When there's a few more miles between us and them."

"Right," Will agreed. "Come on boys," he hollered. "Before The Thirteen rains fire down on your heads if you please."

"Hey!" Jack appeared sleepily from his cabin. "Sounds like someone other than me is engaging in Captain-ing around here… ROB!" Jack shook his head. "Oh not another bloody Hatter hallucination."

"I'm not a hallucination," Rob insisted.

"Though he may be hallucinating," Will muttered.

"Will!" Rob snarled.

"ROB!" Emma burst up from below followed by Sophia and Jackie still rubbing sleep from their eyes. Emma ran forwards and jumped into his arms. Rob smiled and held his cousin close.

"Hey Kiddo," he smiled. Her little arms were wrapped tight around her neck.

Rob looked up over her pigtails to address the others. "We got ourselves a situation. A big one and we have a lot to discuss. Wake up everyone important and get them down to the galley in ten minutes."

"Oh dear Disney," Sophia sighed. "I better put a pot of tea on."

"Why?" Will asked.

"Well, isn't that what you do during a crisis?" Sophia asked snippily. "Put a pot of tea on?" Will shrugged but followed her down to the galley.

-888-

"So let me get this straight," Sophia said slowly after everyone had funneled into the galley still sleepy-eyed and groggy. A tea kettle whistled loudly from the makeshift firepit. Emma sat on Rob's lap refusing to leave him. Jackie sat on one side of him stirring her tea perhaps a little faster than needed while Alice sat on his other clinging to his arm. "This… Khaos fellow," she said slowly as though speaking slowly would make the strangeness make sense. "He let you go?"

"Yup," Rob said.

"Sounds like he's nuts to me," Aaron said. No one had invited him down. He had simply showed up and everyone had grown tired of telling him to go away.

"He could be," Sophia admitted. "I wouldn't expect the God of Chaos to be entirely sane."

"Demigod," Rob interrupted. "That's how he can use the book."

"So now they not only have the Book but they can use it too," Will frowned.

"Wow," Sophia sighed before turning to smirk at Aaron. "That's really gotta sting huh?"

Aaron scowled at her.

"But the weird thing is…" Rob said. "He's whacko but I swear he's familiar somehow. But I haven't seen him anywhere before. He doesn't look familiar but he sounds familiar."

"That is very odd," Will said. "But what bothers me more that he let you go. Don't get me wrong," he added hastily. "I'm glad you've escaped. But no villain no matter how crazed would release a prisoner without some sort of angle."

"I think the angle is that it's all some grand game for him," Rob said. "He honestly likes the whole world running wild not just the heroes either but the villains as well."

Elizabeth let out a sigh. "I can't believe this, but Aaron is right. He is nuts."

"Why do you think he's familiar?" Alice asked.

"I don't know," Rob cried. "It's something about his voice. Something so annoyingly familiar. It's on the tip of my tongue I just can't place it."

"I wish you could," Elizabeth said ruefully. "If they have the book then we're going to need every advantage we can find.

"Is there anything w-w-we c-c-can do?" Jackie asked. "I m-m-mean besides running?"

"Not if they have The Book," Will said. "It's not called the most powerful item in the Kingdom for nothing. Our best odds is to get out of here before they know that Rob is gone… that is if Khaos hasn't already told them yet."

"There's more," Rob said softly. Everyone in the room groaned. "They have some new _additions. Dr. Facilier is there."_

"So they're back to Thirteeen?" Sophia did a brief count on her fingers. "Frollo and Ursula are dead and Davy Jones was fired. So if we replace them with Mim, Khaos and Dr. Facilier they're… back to thirteen." She paled.

"And they have the Book," Aaron chimed in glumly looking generally concerned for his well being for the first time.

"All the more reason to engage in the greatest of pirate traditions," Jack announced. "The retreat by quickest way possible."

"So we're just running?" Elizabeth cried.

"No, we're not just running," Jack said. "You can pray while we're running."

"Now that Rob is back and safe I can take over the ship with Jack," Elizabeth laying a gentle but tentative hand on Will's shoulder. "You haven't slept all night. And don't try to lie to me I saw you."

Will sighed and nodded finally feeling the full effect of adrenaline draining away. "Just keep this thing moving as far as you can away from here. Meanwhile my hammock is calling my name." he rose sluggishly to his feet. "Thank you Elizabeth," he said softly before quickly vanishing down the hallway. Elizabeth nodded and ordered the men about. Jack sighed and shook his head at the two before following them.

Aaron shook his head. "Okay seriously how long is it going to be weird between those two?"

"Oh hush," Sophia ordered before she sipped her tea.

"They're bringing tension," Aaron said.

"We put up with you don't we?" Sophia snapped. She plopped down her teacup with a clack and rose to her feet. "Might as well sleep now while we can," she said. "I imagine we'll have nothing but more challenges from here on out."


	46. Late Night Revelations

The Great Disney Adventure III: Heroes and Villains

A Disney story by talking2myself

DISCLAIMER: See Chapter 1

Chapter 46. Late Night Revelations

"HOW COULD YOU DO SUCH A THING?!" Dr. Facilier roared at Khaos. Two crewmen had to restrain him to keep him from strangling the demigod. Khaos seemed largely unaffected by the display of rage. He stood there grinning at Dr. Facilier's expression. The bleary eyed crewmen still hazy from the previous night's celebrations had emerged from their hammocks to check on the prisoner. When they found the brig empty they had frantically searched the entire ship. … that is until Khaos had cheerfully admitted that he had released their only prisoner.

"WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?!" Dr. Facilier continued to bellow swinging his cane wildly at his head. Khaos ducked quickly narrowly avoiding a nasty clock on the head. Hook, battling a mighty hangover was staring blankly at Khaos as though he was still struggling to understand what had occurred while he had slept.

"Things were too dull," Khaos said distractedly. He examined his fingernails. "I just needed to stir the pot a little. I won't do it again."

Dr. Facilier stared at Khaos in disbelief before he seemed to explode with anger. "OF COURSE YOU WON'T BECAUSE I'LL THROW YOU OVERBOARD YOU EMPTY HEADED PURPLE INGRATE!" Dr. Facilier flung aside the crew men and brandished his cane ready to summon his friends from the other side.

Khaos hummed something under his breath. A wave rushed over the side of the ship dousing Dr. Facilier before it retreated away. "I think you won't," Khaos said in a slow dangerous voice. He grinned wickedly, a touch of menace had crept onto his face. "It seems that you have all forgotten a very important fact." He hummed again before turning around and sent a blast of wind at Facilier who crashed into the mast. "I control the book," he said. "The most powerful thing in this world. That is not a fact that you should take lightly. I could perhaps get a bit careless…" he flicked his hand and began to hum. A wave swept upwards and soaked the deck… and Facilier. "Or maybe I could offer my services to Rob and his companions. Perhaps they would provide better entertainment." He narrowed his eyes. "Do you see what I'm getting at?"

Dr. Facilier frowned. "Good," Khaos smirked. "Now, it has been a rather exhausting night. I'll be below taking a nap. Great party though." He practically skipped down the steps as the villains stared after him. All of them made the horrible realization that their fate was in the hands of a madman.

-888-

The Black Pearl was moving along at a nearly exhausting clip. The crew members only stopped briefly for food and sleep. The crewmen rotated shifts constantly so the ship was always moving. Fortunately, the winds were on their side it didn't seem as though Khaos was using The Book to catch up.

_He's giving us a head start_, Rob thought to himself_. But that won't last for long_.

Rob was walking down the corridors. It wouldn't be long before they were in Peru and the entire crew was eager to be back on dry land. Particularly Jack who was convinced that Jones was still after him.

The time at sea had given Rob plenty of time to think. He had a million thoughts jumbled in his head. Khaos was a problem. A big one. Largely because he knew so little about the strange new character. Apparently he had to know his enemy.

Unfortunately, that meant that he would have to speak to Tia Dalma.

Ever since she had joined them, the rest of the crew had given her a wide berth, apart from Barbosa. Jack would stay clear on the other side of the ship to avoid her. Even Aaron would watch what he said around the mysterious goddess.

She had been in her cabin the entire time Rob had been kidnapped. She hadn't even appeared to welcome him back… which was okay with him. Except he needed information and the only one he could ask was her.

It was sunset when he knocked on the door to her cabin. She swept aside the door and smiled at him. "Rob."

"Hey," Rob said with an awkward smile. "Are you busy? I… I have some questions."

Tia Dalma grinned. "Me always have time for you Rob. Come in."

Rob swallowed before stepping through the doorway. He jumped nearly ten feet in the air when Jack the Undead Monkey shrieked and jumped down from her hammock. "So…" Tia Dalma grinned. "What prompted this lovely visit?"

"Yeah, um you see… I was sorta kidnapped a little bit," Rob said awkwardly. "You might have heard?" Tia Dalma nodded.

"It is wonderful that you are back where you belong," she said with a smile.

"Yeah," Rob said. "Here's the thing. They have a new villain on the Thirteen. He's called Khaos and he says that he's the kid of one of the heathen gods."

Tia Dalma looked startled. "Really?" she asked. "And which one would dat be?"

"The Goddess of Chaos," Rob said. "Eris."

"Eris. Eris?" Tia Dalma repeated the name. "You must be confused."

"No, I'm pretty sure that's what he said."

"Dat is not possible," Tia Dalma argued. "There is no heathen Goddess by dat name."

Rob stared at her blankly. "Come again?"

"I am sorry," Tia Dalma shrugged. "But there is no heathen Goddess of Chaos. Eris is a Greek goddess."

"But that can't be either," Rob insisted, "Hades is one of The Thirteen he would have recognized him right away."

Tia Dalma shrugged helplessly. "I do not know. But I know that there is no Goddess of Chaos. This 'Khaos' is no son of a goddess."

-888-

Rob lay awake in his hammock. His thoughts were racing. If Khaos wasn't a demi-god. Then who was he? And why did he lie? And why could he use the book. Rob groaned flinging an arm up over his face. He was tired but it felt as though his entire body was awake. And he wasn't going to sleep any time soon.

Then, it came to him. Rob bounded out of his hammock. He tiptoed out of his room. Will and Aaron hung quietly in their hammocks. He scurried down the hallway across to where Jackie, Alice and Sophia slept. He slowly approached Sophia's hammock and shook shoulder roughly. "Sophia!" he whispered harshly.

Sophia sprang up in her bed. "Back pirate!" She brandished her wand, nearly poking Rob in the eye. "Rob?" she asked. "Oh. Sorry. Bad dream… why are you waking me up? Are we under attack?!"

Rob held her back by the shoulders. "No, no. Everything's fine."

"Oh good," Sophia said with relief. The relief quickly switched to annoyance. "Then why are you waking me up? This is the first descent sleep I've had in ages."

"I need to know something," he said. "About transformation."

"Transformation?" Sophia echoed. Rob nodded. Sophia narrowed her eyes. "It's a tricky business. Unless you're born magical it isn't something you should attempt without help from the Wizard's Circle."

"I'm not trying to… Wizard's Circle?"

Sophia rubbed sleep from her eyes. "At one point all of the sorcerers and wizards in the Kingdom were members of The Wizard's Circle. They helped make decisions about what to do with their power… until they had a rift and disbanded."

Rob's eyes widened. "Was Mim a member of the Wizard's Circle."

"I suppose but what does this have to do with anything?" Sophia asked.

"Mim is with the villains and Tia Dalma just told me that it's impossible for Khaos to be a demi-god. " Sophia's eyes widened. "He said that he came from the Locker. Do you suppose that… that is could possibly be…"

Sophia frowned. "Rob," she said gently. She took his hand. "It's not Kelsey."

"Why not?" Rob snapped defensively. "Mim could be disguising her. How can you know?"

Sophia met his eyes evenly. "What did Khaos sound like?"

"He has a really strange voice. It sounds familiar but maybe that's why I recognize it. Mim could have altered it."

"No," Sophia said flatly. "She couldn't. That's always how it has worked."

"I don't get it," Rob said.

"Transformation doesn't change the voice," Sophia said. "It's inside. You can alter the exterior but not the interior. Think about any movie you've seen with transformation."

Rob frowned. "Lawrence's voice doesn't change in The Princess and the Frog." He said glumly.

"Exactly," Sophia said gently.

Rob brushed aside the embers of hope, angry with himself for resurrecting them. "Still, my theory could work. Mim could have helped someone from my world. Someone who walks between two worlds. A man. They could use The Book couldn't they?"

Sophia sighed. "Could Aaron use The Book?"

Rob rose to his feet and rushed back to the room. "Rob," Sophia sighed. She rose to her feet wrapping her blanket around her shoulders. Rob raced across the room to wear Aaron hung in his hammock, snatching the pillow from his hammock as he ran. With little fanfare, Rob whacked Aaron across the head.

"OWWW," Aaron yelped bolting upright and nearly flipping his hammock. "What the hell was that for?"

"Good, you're awake," Rob said with a smug grin. ""Could you use the Book?" Rob asked.

"That's why you woke me up?" Aaron cried.

"Answer the question," Rob snapped."

"No," Aaron groaned. "If I could do you really think I would be here letting you beat me over the head at three in the morning to bring up my failures?!" He rolled over and went back to sleep. "This violates your sister's precious Geneva convention policies I'm sure."

"Okay scratch that theory," Rob said thoughtfully. He was quiet for a moment. "So this person isn't from my world and he isn't a demi-god…. And he isn't Kelsey. But it still could be a transformation spell." He was quiet again. "Who besides Kelsey could use The Book?"

Sophia shrugged.

He looked over At Will's sleeping form. He rushed over and shook Will's shoulder.

"What no concussion inducing blow to the head?" Aaron snapped.

"Shut up," Rob snapped. "Will! Will! Wake up!" He shook Will by the shoulders and then stopped when the brown eyes flickered open and then closed with a groan. "Rob, I've been on my feet for fourteen hours and I still have my sword beneath the hammock in case you forgot…"

"Will," Rob interrupted. "Khaos isn't a demi-god."

"Huh?" Will asked in confusion.

"Besides Kelsey who else could use the book?"

"What?" Will asked still groggy with sleep.

"He's not a demi-god," Rob repeated. "Tia Dalma says his mother doesn't exist."

Will shook his head in confusion. "He's not a what…?"

"A demi-god," Rob said. "But he could be in disguise thanks to Mim. He's male and can use the book."

"So?" Will asked rubbing sleep from his eyes. "Why are you waking me up?"

"Because he won't be happy until the entire ship is awake," Aaron grumbled. Rob glared and chucked the pillow back at his head. It struck him in the face and Aaron fell back in his hammock. "The Book," Rob repeated. "The thing has been around forever Kelsey only came here last year. Who had it before her?"

Will let out a sigh. "No one for a long time."

"Walt Disney gave it to me," Aaron said. "No idea where he got it."

"Has anyone else ever used it?" Rob asked.

Will shrugged, "I guess it would be Mickey."

Rob stared at Will in disbelief. "Mickey? As in Mouse?"

"Do you know of any other Mickeys in a Disney world?" Will asked caustically. He grabbed his blanket and rolled over. Rob pulled it off. "Khaos isn't Mickey… obviously. His voice is pretty distinctive. Who had it before Mickey?"

Will groaned and sat up again. "His master, Yen Sid."

"Who the heck is that?" Rob asked.

"The wizard Yen Sid," Sophia said. "He defeated Chernabog and drove him back into the mountain. Everyone knows that. All the Disney kids learn it in history class."

"I didn't even know that he had a name," Rob admitted. "You guys have history classes?" Rob asked. "Sweet. I might have passed history if it was that interesting."

"Well… those who deem education worth pursuing," Will said. "I doubt Jack ever had a history class. We can discuss it further tomorrow morning."

"Not yet," Rob snapped. "Could it be possible that Yen Sid is Khaos?"

"That makes no sense," Will.

"But is it possible?" Rob pressed.

"I suppose," Will admitted.

"He wouldn't need Mim," Sophia pointed out. "He has enough power on his own."

"And why would he join the Thirteen?" Will asked.

Rob paused for a moment. "He would need Mim to get in. He would need an intro so the villains wouldn't kill him on sight. Especially if he's a good guy."

"Yen Sid vanished years ago," Will said.

"So he un-vanished," Rob said.

"To join The Thirteen?" Will asked skeptically. "After he almost died trying to save The Kingdom from Chernabog?"

Rob paced the room slowly, thoughtfully. His head was still spinning. So much information that he had never known before. He froze suddenly.

"Unless he didn't join them," he said softly. "He's a double agent."

"What?" Sophia and Will cried in unison.

"Think about it," Rob said. "He's gotta be. He came out of hiding. They all think he's dead so they would never suspect him and he let me go. No self-respecting villain would ever do that. It's the only thing that makes sense! Yen Sid is Khaos."

For a few moments it was silent. Everyone seemed shocked. Everyone that is… except Aaron.

"Why are we still talking?" he groaned. "If that's the case what does it change? Go to sleep or I'll be even more unpleasant in the morning."

"That could kill me," Sophia said. "And the little ingrate is right. Nothing we can really do about it except pray that it's true and that we won't find ourself on the business end of The Book. And if that's all. I think I will be going back to bed. Goodnight gentlemen and Aaron too."

Aaron stuck his tongue out at her retreating back before he rolled over once again.

Will turned towards Rob. "Satisfied?"

"Sorta," Rob said. "I suppose it really doesn't change much but…" He frowned. "I'll let you go back to bed."

Will nodded and settled back into his hammock. Rob tried to do the same. It wasn't long before he could hear Aaron snoring. Rob frowned and closed his eyes, more confused than ever. It was a long time before he managed to drift off to sleep.


	47. Peruvian Angels

The Great Disney Adventure III: Heroes and Villains

A Disney story by talking2myself

DISCLAIMER: See Chapter 1

Chapter 47. Peruvian Angels

"LAND!" Jack stood at the bow of the ship staring at the shores of Peru. His arms were spread wide as though he meant to embrace the entire coastline of the country.

Will and Rob stood a short distance away. Will seemed to let out a faint sigh of relief. "It's a welcome sight," he agreed. "They have an advantage at sea. We need to put some more distance between us. We should be arriving there in about twenty minutes."

"Bah," Jack snorted. "Maybe you will." With that Jack did an unusually perfect swan dive off the side of the ship and began swimming to the shore. Rob and Will sprang forwards and watched as Jack paddled wildly towards the sands of Peru. "Land glorious land!" Rob heard him cry.

Will shook his head. "Ten bucks says he'll drown before he reaches the shore," Rob said.

Will smiled. "Twenty."

"Should we go fish him out?" Rob asked.

"Before or after he drowns?" Will asked.

"Honestly, you're both terrible," Alice appeared behind the two with Jackie and Emma.

"I won't stop you if you want to go after him," Rob said.

"I'd rather not soak my petticoats," Alice said primly.

Rob gave her a smug smile. "Where's Sophia? I want to go ashore with her? Aaron's staying here. And so is Will."

Will suddenly perked up. "What?"

"If The Thirteen shows up we're going to have to get the heck out of here in a hurry," Rob said. "I want this ship to be ready to take off at a moment's notice. I don't trust Barbosa and Jack is well…" he glanced over the side of the ship where Jack was splashing his way to shore. He was relieved to see that he was halfway there and hadn't sunk like a rock… at least not yet.

Will looked like he really wanted to protest and pout like Emma did when she was angry. Though he couldn't deny the logic of Rob's words. "And who will protect you."

"Me," Rob said. Will stared back at him evenly. "Jack?" Rob offered. Will raised an eyebrow. Rob's shoulders slumped. "I'll bring Elizabeth okay?"

"And me," Sophia said sweeping through in a fresh gown and brandishing her magic wand. "We'll need to keep most of the able-bodied people here. It's unlikely that a spoiled prince and 100 year old woman will be able to harm us but the Thirteen is another story. And for that reason, I would like to bring Jackie and Alice as well."

Will looked more than a little irritated. "So I'm to be left here with Aaron AND Barbosa with no real back up? If they decide to mutiny…"

"Fine, Elizabeth can stay here," Rob said with a shrug. He lowered the ladder down the side of the ship. "If they try to mutiny just shove Barbosa overboard and try to run Aaron through before he can start talking."

Will looked slightly stricken. "But… but… what am I supposed to do with just Elizabeth?"

"I don't… talk about your feelings?" Rob shrugged.

"Not amusing," Will snapped.

"Enough talk," Alice interrupted. "We're burning daylight… and there's still a good chance we'll have to rescue Jack."

"Yay," Emma cried. "I finally get to come." She clambered over the side of the ship and scrambled down the ladder. "Come on guys!" she called.

"Be quick," Will ordered curtly.

Jackie and Sophia made their way down and retrieved the oars from Emma who was attempting to row them to shore but had only managed to spin the small boat in a circle.

Alice was about halfway down the ladder when Rob swung one leg over. "The boat will still be here when I get back?" he called up to Will.

"Of course," Will said.

"And not burned down or anything?"

"Why on Earth would I do that?" Will demanded.

Rob landed in the boat causing it to rock back and forth. "I don't know. Lately your logic isn't always the greatest when you're with Elizabeth… OWW!"

Will had dropped Switch over the side of the boat. It was still sheathed but the pommel roughly struck Rob on the head before landing in his lap. Rob glared up at Will but all he saw was the ladder being pulled up and back into the ship.

-888-

By the time they reached shore, Jack was already there on his hands and knees, soaking wet and kissing the sand. Once they hauled the longboat onto the shore he seemed to notice them. He spat out a mouthful of sand and wiped his mouth with his wet sleeve.

"So…" he said as though he hadn't completely destroyed any shred of dignity left to him a few seconds ago. "Where we going?"

"To go ask a spoiled rotten prince to find the tiny little hint of goodness inside him and help us out," Rob said. For the first time since they had arrived he paused to consider how difficult this could be. "This could be a bit of a challenge."

"Well, I'm eager to see civilization," Sophia said. "Let's go." She made her way forwards with Jackie close behind.

Rob frowned. "How about the Ancient Incan civilization?" He followed her with Alice. Emma continued to plod behind him but then paused at Jack's side.

"You got a little somethin' somethin'," Emma said pointing a finger to her cheek. Jack frowned and wiped the remaining sand from his face before trailing after the others.

-888-

At one point, Rob would have found the thought of wandering the jungles of Peru with panthers intimidating to say the least, but since arriving in the Kingdom, it was just another day. And fortunately, he hadn't seen any panthers yet. Thank goodness.

There was one road and Rob hoped that it would lead to the capital similar to how all roads led to Rome. Sad as it was, this stroll through the jungle was the most peaceful experience he had had in a long time. Alice slipped her hand into his as they strolled down the road. Jackie and Sophia were chatting to each other while Emma had wandered ahead and was absently kicking a stone down the way. Rob watched as her shoulders slumped back and her eyes rolled. Her mouth opened as though she was going to say something. "Emma, we are not there yet and if you ask I will tie you to a tree."

Emma closed her mouth and glared at him crossing her arms. She turned around suddenly. "Look!" she cried. She pointed ahead at a small cart that was bumbling down the road. It was pulled by a llama and a large man in a green poncho was driving it. As he approached, the fellow gave them a friendly smile and waved.

"Hello strangers," he smiled. "Where you headed?"

"Good question," Emma piped. Rob clamped a hand around her mouth.

"Hello to you too," Rob said. "I'm Rob." He offered his hand to the newcomer. "We're actually headed to meet the emperor. If we follow this road we'll get there right?"

"I'm Pacha," the man said. "And yes you'll get there, but it will take you all day walking."

Emma pulled Rob's hand down from her mouth. "All day?!"

The man chuckled at Emma's expression. "If you like I can give you a lift."

"Shotgun!" Emma cried springing towards the cart.

"Emma," Rob scolded. "We wouldn't want to be a bother."

"Speak for yourself I'm totally okay with being a bother," Emma grumbled.

Pacha laughed. "No trouble at all. I'm actually heading that way. I have a meeting with the emperor as well. Climb aboard."

"Yay!" Emma yelped before climbing up next to Pacha, who ruffled her pigtails kindly.

"Thank you," Rob said for her. "You'll have to excuse her. She's too enthusiastic for her own good." Emma stuck her tongue out at Rob as Jackie, Sophia and Jackie climbed aboard.

"Thank you very much, Mr. Pacha," Alice said sweetly as Rob helped her into the cart.

"Can I drive?" Emma asked.

"NO!" Rob answered before Pacha could say anything. Pacha laughed and they set off down the road. For a few hours, Rob enjoyed the trip watching the countryside go by as Emma peppered Pacha with questions, mostly about llamas. Jack just seemed happy enough just to be on land.

"We're approaching the outskirts of the city,"

"W-w-what a lovely way to travel," Jackie mused.

"Speak for yourself," Sophia scowled. She whirled and swatted at a large mosquito that had landed on her arm. "I swear I've swatted a million mosquitoes since arriving."

"Well you know what they say love," Jack said with a grin. "Every time you swat a mosquito an angel gets his wings."

The buildings of the city had come into view. Emma grinned and stared up at the large palace in the distance. "Wow," she breathed. As she gawked at the city, she caught sight of something out of the corner of her eye,

"I'M SORRRRYYYYY!" someone called and a figure soared through the air. Emma's mouth hung open before she whirled around.

"Jack is right, Sophia!" she cried. "I just saw one of the angels!"

Rob stared at Emma in confusion as Pacha turned the cart and they entered the city.


	48. The Power of Spiritual Redemption

The Great Disney Adventure III: Heroes and Villains

A Disney story by talking2myself

DISCLAIMER: See Chapter 1

Chapter 48. The Power of Spiritual Redemption

Pintel and Ragetti sat on the side of the ship watching in silence. Will was mending sails, a job normally left to Sophia, near the stern of the vessel while Elizabeth was at the bow looking out at the Peruvian coast with Jack's spyglass. However, both were sneaking glances at the other when they thought they weren't looking.

"They're not talking or nothing," Ragetti whispered.

"No," Pintel agreed.

"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?" Ragetti asked.

"I'm not sure," Pintel shrugged. "They're not getting married no more so I suppose it doesn't much matter."

"I reckon Will should forgive Elizabeth either way," Ragetti said.

"Why should he?" Pintel asked. "She got Kelsey killed and got us in this mess."

"Yeah, but it's good to forgive," Ragetti insisted.

Pintel snorted. "Says who?"

"Jesus."

Pintel rolled his eyes, "We've been over this. You can't read The Bible."

"Well he probably said _something_ about it!" Ragetti insisted.

"What are you idiots talking about?" The two pirates jumped. Aaron stood there with his arms crossed. Obviously, sensing that they were discussing his favorite emotional punching bag, Will.

"The power of spiritual redemption," Ragetti said piously.

"Pff, maybe _you_ were," Pintel scoffed.

Aaron sighed and plopped besides the two pirates. "It's like watching a ping pong match ain't it?" They nodded silently. "So how many people are in the pool for whether they get back together or not." The pirates frowned.

"We didn't start one," Ragetti said sadly.

"Half the fun was watching Kelsey get her knickers in a bunch over us betting on her," Pintel admitted. "Now no one really cares."

"Yowch!"

The trio was distracted by a loud cry. Will, when sneaking a glance at Elizabeth, had stabbed his finger with a needle. He shook his hand before popping the finger in his mouth. Pintel and Ragetti shook their heads.

"All these years later and he's still a bit of a stick," Pintel muttered.

"How do you guys stand it?" Aaron asked, "Putting up with Mr. Goody-Two Shoes all the time? Isn't exhausting?"

"Actually we kinda like him," Ragetti shrugged.

"Yeah," Pintel admitted ruefully. "Compared to Jack and Barbosa he's surprisingly logical."

"Plus, Jack is onto all of our schemes," Raggetti said.

"If nothing else it's nice to have an unsuspecting victim," Pintel agreed.

"So explain something to me," Aaron said. He watched as Elizabeth stared curiously at Will who had resumed slowly. "How do you guys go from following a villain like Barbosa to doing whatever a hero like Kelsey tells you."

"We don't do _everything_," Raggetti snapped.

"Yeah, she told us to stop gambling on her ages ago," Pintel added.

Aaron rolled his eyes. "Whatever. You know what I mean."

The pirates paused and thought for a moment. "She's not exactly like other heroes." Ragetti answered.

"Yeah, she was… different." Pintel said. "She wasn't _preachy_." He looked at Ragetti. Ragetti glared.

"Different how?" Aaron demanded.

"It's like she's got a little bit of villain in her," Pintel said.

"But not too much," Ragetti added.

"And you guys like that?" Aaron asked.

Ragetti and Pintel exchanged glances and shrugged. "Yeah," they said in unison.

Aaron frowned puzzled. Will was folding up the canvas sails. Elizabeth closed the spyglass and crossed the deck towards Will. "Do you need help?" she asked.

Will looked like he sorely wanted to refuse, but the pile of sail cloth looked like a lumpy bundle. "Sure," he said softly. Elizabeth took one end of the sail cloth and the two shook it out. Ragetti and Pintel watched the scene like they were watching the final scene of a dramatic play.

The two of them continued folding the sail in silence. "What's that red spot?" Elizabeth asked.

Will looked a little embarrassed. "Sophia's fingers are a bit daintier than mine."

Elizabeth smiled. "Blacksmith's hands?"

Will smiled briefly. "Blacksmith's hands." He agreed.

The two stepped closer to each other to put the two edges of the sail together and suddenly they were closer than they had been in months. Their faces were mere inches apart. They paused for a moment and seemed to look at each other as though they had been lost at sea and had suddenly found a lighthouse in the distance. The moment seemed to last for a lifetime and Pintel and Ragetti watched with their mouths hanging open.

At last Will cleared his throat and took back the sail. "Thanks," he said and then hurried below deck. Elizabeth stood there for a few moments before releasing a defeated sigh.

"UGH!" Pintel and Ragetti groaned. Elizabeth looked in their direction. Pintel quickly whipped out his dagger and pretended to sharpen it while Ragetti lifted his ragged Bible and pretended to read… without realizing that it was upside down. Elizabeth glared at them and shook her head before stomping over.

"What are you doing here," she demanded. She wasn't looking at Pintel and Ragetti but at Aaron.

"Catching the breeze and having a very interesting conversation with the fellow inmates, warden," he said with a cocksure grin.

"Oh really?" Elizabeth said. She glanced at the two who guiltily focused more intently on their activities. "About what?"

Aaron grinned, "The power of spiritual redemption."

-888-

The wagon creaked across a long bridge. Alice clutched his hand while Rob tried to ignore the wind blowing down around them. Emma had her hands over his eyes. "Don't look down. Don't look down. Don't look down. Don't look down."

"Emma," Rob said gently. "We've made it across."

"We have?" Emma parted her fingers. The bridge was a few feet behind them and sure enough they were on solid ground. "Phew," Emma sighed.

The architecture of the city was fascinating in a terrifying sort of way. There were bridges everywhere and this wasn't even the longest one that they had crossed since entering the city. The longest one had been a fair distance away before they had entered the city borders. The long bridge had spanned across two cliffs and Emma had sobbed and clung to Rob until they reached the other end. It always kind of baffled Rob when Emma started behaving like a normal child would. Though he supposed that he would have done the same thing at her age.

Pacha led them into one looked like some sort of large parking lot. Villagers had left their carts here as they tended or shopped at the market stalls. A long walkway lined with banners and flags led up to a large palace.

"This must be the place," Rob said.

"It has to be," Sophia said examining the golden palace. The roof was domed like a crown and two round windows formed eyes so the whole building looked like a face. "No one else but someone incredibly full of himself would have such a gaudy palace."

Pacha laughed. "I've heard he's a little arrogant, but he's still young. I'm sure he'll grow out of it."

Rob followed him as they began to move up the walkway. "We'll see if you still think that in an hour or so."

-888-

"You'd think they'd have some sort of dotted line to follow or a sign or something," Rob grumbled as he made their way past yet another guard on the longest walkway in history. Emma paused and stared at one of the guards in fascination.

"Whoa," she cried. "How did you make yourself half red and half blue without getting purple in the middle?"

Rob smiled sheepishly at the scowling guard. "Come along now, Emma, let's not bother the nice guards," he whispered before snatching Emma away and slinging her over his shoulder. He quickly shoved Alice forwards.

"Hey I was getting make up tips," Emma cried.

"They better have a receptionist inside," Rob muttered.

"Well, I'm sure we can just stop and ask for directions," Pacha said before turning to one of the guards. "Uh excuse me," he said. "I'm here to see Emperor Kuzco. You see I got this summons..." He pulled out a piece of parchment from one of his pockets.

"Inside up the stairs and to the left," the guard interrupted pointing up a set of steps. "Just follow the signs."

"Oh," Pacha said with a smile, "Great. Thanks a lot."

"See Rob, they do have signs," Emma, pointed out, still slung over Rob's shoulder.

"Pipe down, Emma," Rob grumbled.

They made their way further down the walkway when suddenly Pacha froze as something dropped beside him. Pacha knelt and picked it up. It was a shoe. A bony hand dropped down and tapped Pacha's shoulder. "Pardon me," an old man's voice said. "That's mine."

"Oh," Pacha said. He looked up to see an old man tangled in the folds of one of the banners. "Here you go," Pacha said.

"Thank you," the old man replied.

Jackie stood there staring up at the fellow in shock "P-p-pacha."

Pacha froze as he suddenly seemed to realize that there was an old man dangling over their heads. "Oh hey!" he cried reaching up to help the man. "Here uh let me…"

"You're so very kind," the old man said as Pacha lowered him to ground. Emma stood before him staring up at the old man. "Um… hello," he said.

"Are you an angel?!" Emma asked gleefully.

"Emma," Rob cried. "I swear she's not normally this strange. Been hanging out with my sister too much."

"What happened?" Pacha asked.

"Well, I…" the man wrung his hands. "I threw off the emperor's groove."

"What?" Pacha asked.

"His groove!" the man blurted, "The rhythm in which he lives his life, his pattern of behavior. I threw it off and the emperor had me thrown out the window."

Pacha's face paled. Sophia's eyes widened. "Tell me I heard that wrong."

"I'm supposed to see him today," Pacha said quietly.

The man suddenly gripped Pacha's pancho. "DON'T THROW OFF HIS GROOVE!" he cried.

"Oh… okay," Pacha said quietly.

"Beware the groove!" the man said as he shakily wandered down the walkway.

Rob and Pacha exchanged nervous glances. "Hey are you gonna be alright?" Pacha called.

"Groove," the man repeated ominously.

Sophia stared at the man he left before turning towards Rob. "I say we head back to the ship."

"Don't flake out on me now, Sophia," Rob scolded as they continued down the walkway and into the palace.


	49. A Worn Out Welcome

The Great Disney Adventure III: Heroes and Villains

A Disney story by talking2myself

DISCLAIMER: See Chapter 1

Chapter 49. A Worn Out Welcome

Mim spent an hour rummaging through the galley before she discovered a cauldron large enough to suit her purposes. They were experiencing doldrums and the ship was barely moving when Khaos wasn't singing about wind. Right now, Khaos was practically blue from lack of breath and needed to rest. The rest of them had been left to their own devices with nothing to do but wait and pray for wind.

The time spent lazing about had woken up something in her mind. Something that had been niggling at her since her initiation to the Thirteen. Something that Maleficent had said. With nothing else to do, Mim decided that now was a good time to ask her former friend about it.

Mim had filled up the cauldron with salt water which she had drawn using a wooden bucket. She took her cauldron to the small cabin that she called hers and set it down on the center of the floor. Mim waved her hands over it and muttered the spell to transform the water into Magic Water. A bit uninspired name, but it was still the way most magical beings chose to communicate.

For a few moments all the waters did was swirl around in circles. Mim scowled and slapped at the water. "I know you're there, Maleficent." She scowled.

Maleficent's green face appeared in the water. Her lip curled in disdain. "What is it Mim? Don't you have important business to complete?"

"Honestly, Melly," Mim said. "Can't I just call for a little girl talk?" Maleficent seethed and Mim had to hide a grin. Mim folded her hands primly on her lap. "Alright, alright. I have business. VERY important business." She agreed. "I haven't had a moment to myself in days which is why it has taken me so long to call you." Maleficent's eyes narrowed suspiciously.

"It's a rather important matter," Mim said. "On the day that I was welcomed into The Thirteen." Mim ignored a snort of derision from Maleficent. "I do recall you saying that the overall goal of the Thirteen, after this nasty Hatter business of course, was to summon Chernabog." Maleficent seemed to perk up at the mention of the name.

Mim frowned. "I must have heard you wrong. After all, you were there. And no one who had seen what we've seen would asinine enough to attempt something like that again right?" Maleficent didn't say anything. "RIGHT?" Mim repeated.

"That is our goal Mim," Maleficent said quietly.

Mim's green eyes widened and for a moment all she could do was stare back at the sorceress in the cauldron. "WHAT?" she finally exploded so loud the water rippled wildly.

Maleficent pressed a hand to her forehead wearily. "Mim…"

"HOW CAN YOU BE SO STUPID!" Mim shrieked. "Did you forget that night? If so you're luckier than I am. I can still see those sorcerers in my nightmares. Three of the Circle's finest sorcerers. They were torn apart like paper dolls, Melena!"

"Don't call me that…" Maleficent snarled.

"I'll call you whatever I please," Mim snapped. Maleficent looked stunned that the witch could be so insolent to her, her former idol.

"Things will be different this time," Maleficent said coldly. "We will not have to rely on fools to try and control the most powerful being in the Kingdom. We have power on our side. And allies."

Mim crossed her arms and gazed back at her evenly. "Those fools were our friends. They were allies. Not to mention some of the most powerful members of the Wizard's Circle. And you would be a fool not to learn from their misfortune."

Maleficent's teeth ground together angrily. "We made it clear from the beginning that we never wanted or needed you to be a member of The Thirteen," she said coldly. "If you don't want to be a part of our conquest then you should probably just disappear. Goodbye Mim." With that Maleficent vanished.

Mim let out a howl of frustration and she swatted the water angrily. A mighty splash of water spilled over the edges of the cauldron splashing her skirts. Mim rose to her feet and crossed her arms angrily. She paced the room frantically for a few moments and tugged at her hair in frustration. She froze in place for a few moments before she came to a realization. She wasn't going to be the only one leaving.

-888-

Mim practically jogged down the hallways to Khaos' cabin. She looked about quickly to make sure no one was around to see before she scrambled inside and slammed the door behind her.

Khaos lounged in his hammock absently paging through The Book of Songs. The whole room shook when Mim burst into the cabin. She checked the hallways again before slamming the door closed. "Mim?" he asked groggily.

"We have a problem," Mim said breathlessly.

"Oh?" Khaos straightened his hat and sat up in the hammock.

"We need to change our plan," Mim insisted.

"What?" Khaos cried nearly toppling off the hammock as he bounded to his feet. "Change the plan? Why? Things are going according exactly according to plan which hasn't been known to happen very often for you…"

"The plan just received a huge complication," she said. "You should sit down." She shoved Khaos roughly back on the swinging hammock.

"Mim," Khaos scowled.

"The plans for The Thirteen… after you know they wipe out a few key people involves you and a lot of danger," Mim said.

"I assumed as much," Khaos snapped. "Villain plans are seldom easy otherwise everyone would do them."

"More danger than normal," Mim said. "And more hairbrained."

"What sort of danger?" Khaos asked. "Mim you're going to have to make a little more sense than that."

Mim frowned and crossed her arms. "How do I explain this? Where do I even start? Okay, this is the short version. Once upon a time all of the magical workers were united in a Wizard's Circle. They all worked together to use their magic for the good of the Kingdom. All warm and fuzzy like."

"This is the short version?" Khaos asked raising an eyebrow.

"Pipe down," Mim roared. Khaos shut his mouth abruptly before he sighed. "Mim," Khaos said calmly. "I know all about The Wizard's Circle."

Mim froze. "You do?" She raised an eyebrow. "How?"

"It's a long story."

Mim frowned. "What's the short version?"

"That's still a pretty long story," Khaos admitted.

"Never mind, I don't particularly care," Mim sighed. "Do you know what happened to them?"

"Chernabog," Khaos said. The name caused Mim to shiver. "Though I don't know much about the actual event."

Mim sighed. "I do," she frowned. "I would give all my power to get rid of those memories. It all started when some of the more ambitious ones decided that they would like a taste of real power. They started researching the darker arts and found out that there was this creature locked in a mountain named Chernabog. This thing is big as the mountain that holds him with wings and claws and the ability to summon ghosts and demons. The most powerful deserters tried to summon this creature by using their magic to perform a summoning spell at the base of the mountain."

"And they failed… miserably," Khaos stated.

"I was there when they tried," Mim said. "I was there when it all went wrong. They summoned Chernabog. And he escaped from his mountain but he was too powerful. The sorcerers couldn't control him. He wiped them out without any effort." Mim shivered and wrapped her arms around herself. "Maleficent and I followed the sorcerers. We were just apprentices then. Barely knew the first thing about magic or death for that matter…" Mim trailed off and her eyes seemed to drift far away. Khaos frowned. Mim finally shook her head and seemed to wake up from her trance. "It was terrible and it resulted in a colossal strife which only ended when Yen Sid… well I'm not quite sure what Yen Sid did."

"What does all of this have to do with The Thirteen?"

"Maleficent wants to try it again!" Mim tried.

Khaos looked confused. "Why? It's just like reading the same novel over and over again. You can read it as many times as you like but the ending won't change."

"Exactly,"Mim cried with relief. "But they have plans for you in that ending. They want us to contribute our magic to the summoning. She thinks that with enough power they'll be able to control him."

"And you don't?" Khaos asked.

Mim was quiet. "I don't know but if you saw what I saw you wouldn't want to chance it either."

"Hmm," Khaos said thoughtfully. "It was our goal to thwart whatever their plan was Mim." He said. "We won't let them summon Chernabog."

"They won't give you a choice," Mim insisted. "Book or no. They outnumber us."

"We'll slip away before we allow that to happen."

"We're much too close to Rob and the others," Mim said. "If they should catch them…"

Khaos snorted derisively. "I highly doubt they're capable of that…"

"It's a possibility we're going to have to consider whether you like it or not," Mim said coldly. Now it was Khaos' turn to glare. "If it happens," Mim said. "They'll be dragging us back to the mountain and there will be no time for us to run away."

Khaos frowned and didn't say a thing. Mim sighed. "We do not want to be a part of this," she said. "It's much too terrible to risk. Not only for us but for the rest of The Kingdom."

Khaos gave Mim a wry smile. "You almost sound like a hero there, Mim."

Mim looked like she had just swallowed a lemon. "Say that again and I'll turn you into a newt."

Khaos grinned and shrugged. "I'll get better."

"FOCUS!" Mim shrieked. "Do you not hear me? We. Have. To. Bail. NOW! While we still have a chance."

Khaos frowned and leaned over the hammock so his feet touched the floor. "I think…" he said softly. "That we have worn out our welcome, Mim."

Mim nodded. "But what do we do now?"

"We…" Khaos said slowly. "Hmm. Once we get to Peru. I believe it is time we parted ways with The Thirteen."


End file.
